Burned
by Total Obsessive Bookworm
Summary: FINISHED! My verion of Burned. How will Zoey attempt to defeat Kalona? And what about Stevie Rae and Rephaim? How do Zoey's friends and Erik fit in? Sequel: Stolen. Up now!
1. Chapter 1

Heath kissed me slowly on the forehead before walking back to where he had been sitting. Soon he was fishing again.

"Heath . . . " I said slowly, quietly.

"What's up, Zoey?" He looked at me.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Hey, don't be. There's nothing you could have done, Kalona was wayy too fast. Anyway, I feel more at peace now." He cocked his head to the side thoughtfully.

"That's not what I was apologizing for . . . though I am sorry for that, too." Somehow my voice didn't break. "I'm sorry for all the poo I dumped on you these past few months." Heath smiled at my use of the word 'poo'. "I'm sorry for being horrible to you, and for dragging you into all of this." I finished.

"Hey, Zo, I gotta admit I liked being dragged into it all. I got to spend time with you, and meet your new friends." He paused. "Speaking of, they're trying to save you as we speak. Go to them, Zo, if you're ready."

My eyes filled with tears. I didn't have time to question him, for when he spoke, Nyx appeared. As usual, she was incredibly and breathtakingly beautiful. Like when she had appeared to me and Aphrodite the week before, she was not solid but shimmered between me and Heath.

"Nyx? Why are you here?" I blurted.

She laughed, reminding me of wind chimes. "My _u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya_, I am here to talk to your consort. I want to congratulate him for taking his job so seriously and enthusiastically." She turned to Heath.

"I did not Mark you as my son, but today I think of you as my own. My son, you have done well in being Zoey's consort. You will be rewarded in death for your willingness, and for sacrificing yourself for young Zoey, just like her Warrior did. You both care for her very much, as I can see, and Zoey is a very lucky High Priestess indeed."

For once, Heath was actually paying attention to her, and not letting his eyes travel down from her face.

"Thank you, my son. You have played a very important part in Zoey's life, and you should be thankful that you were able to travel some of her journey with her. I am impressed by how much you love her, so much that all you want is for her to go back to her friends and be happy." Nyx looked at me.

"I don't want to go. Not yet," I said.

"But you do, Zoeybird. Remember, your first consort will be here, waiting for you when you will be able to see him again. Be thankful to him that he was so easygoing with your Warrior. Now, Zoey, it is time to leave and return to your friends."

I stared at Heath, and knew that I was ready to go. "Thank you, Heath. You know I love you, right?"

"Course I do, Zo. I love you, too. Go on, go back. And tell that Stark dude that he better treat you well, or I'll haunt him."

"Blessed be, Zoey Redbird. I will see you again soon."

"Blessed be," I said before everything faded.

**So, just to confirm, I definitely do NOT own the House of Night. If I did, I wouldn't be bugging my parents for money :P**

**Please review! **

**Lots 'O' Love**

**~Total Obsessive Bookworm**


	2. Chapter 2

**Again, I own nothing. Jeez, I don't even own the title of the story . . God, I'm so pathetic I have like nothing :L**

Once Nyx and Heath faded away, I felt so much better about Heath's death. Being able to talk to him one last time had really lifed a weight off my chest. But once Nyx and Heath faded, I was alone in complete darkness.

Some might think of it as soothing. Me? I thought it was annoying as hell. Jeesh, why couldn't I just get back to my friends who preobably thought _I_ was dead?

I don't know how long the darkness lasted. It could have been seconds, minutes or hours. But anyway, I started to hear my friends voices.

"She's dead, isn't she?" Erin wailed. I imagined her Twin was comforting her, as she didn't say anything.

"She can't be," said the unmistakable voice of Darius, the macho warrior.

Then my own Macho Warrior spoke brokenly. "She is. I felt it." His voice shook.

I wanted to comfort all my friends, and tell them I was here, so they should shut up and help me kill Kalona. But of course the stupid darkness wouldn't let me.

"Zoey!" Aphrodite was screaming near my face. "Zoey, wake up! Now! Seriously! Zoey, please please," She broke off into sobs, giving my shoulders one last, pathetic shake.

_Nyx,_ I thought, _please help me. I want to get back to my friends. They all think I'm dead. How do I get back?_

_As your consort said, you will get back when your soul is ready,_ came the answer.

Well, hell. _I_ was ready, but my stupid soul wasn't? When did I know my soul was ready? And how long would it take?

Not long, apparently. I felt someone lift me up. "They can help her. If we bring her inside, they can help her. She can live . . ." Stark started to run.

I could feel the wind against my cheek and hair. Soon, there were also a few drops of water on my face. "Come on, Zoey," Stark panted. "Hang in there. I know you can."

Then I coughed. It was a wracking, rattling, rasping cough, but it meant I was without a doubt intact with my body and my soul was as ready as it would ever be.

The wind stopped blowing against me, but the rain continued. Stark had stopped. "Zoey?" My name was filled with unwilling hope. Unwilling because although he wanted to believe I was alive, he didn't.

Yes! I could open my eyes. I stared into his beautiful face. His eyes were puffy and his cheeks were tear-stained. "Stark," I responded weakly.

He fell to his knees, making sure he didn't jostle me at all.

"Stark! Come back!" My friends were shouting not far behind us.

"Zoey . . . " Stark's voice wavered and broke.

My hand reached up shakily to touch his face. "You're alive," he whispered. I nodded.

Darius was the first to reach us. He touched Stark's shoulder. "Young Warrior, I know it is upsetting, but-" He gasped. "High Priestess," he said, "you live."

The rest of my friends were suddenly there. "Zoey!" Jack cried joyously before hugging me. Soon I was smothered in a gihugic group hug. When Stark said quietly, "Let her breathe," everyone was quick to obey. Then Stark was there, smiling at me, still holding me against his chest. Tears fell freely down his face.

"I love you, Zoey," he murmured as he pressed his lips to my forehead, just as Heath had done.

Heath. Oh, Goddess. It all came rushing back.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to vampluver19 for reviewing (already :L). Here's the 3rd chapter. I decided to go along with the style that was in Tempted and write from Stark's POV. So here it is! I don't own, like, ANYTHING. If I did Stark would be far far away from the HoN . . . *laughs evilly (If thats a word)***

**_Stark_**

Zoey sobbed loud, heart-wrenching sobs. I guess everything was catching up on her. Her consort dying to protect her. Me doing absolutely nothing to save her. Heath had done my job. I had failed as Zoey's Warrior.

So why did I pull her closer to me, rub her back and soothe her? Because I thought I could 'learn from my mistakes'? Maybe, just maybe, I could actually do my job next time and hell, I might actually save her.

I knelt on the ground with Zoey on my lap and all her friends (I don't think they were included as my own. They probably blamed me for this, too. And they were right. It was my fault.) all around us. Then I was cocky enough to say, "Guys, do you mind if I talk to Zoey alone for a minute?"

It's a wonder they agreed. I wouldn't have. At least Aphrodite managed to give me a hard glare which I welcomed eagerly. When they were gone, I rocked Zoey back and forth for a little while. When she had calmed down as much as I thought she would be capable of, I pulled back to look at her face.

"How are you?" I heard myself ask.

She smiled sadly. "Like you don't know?"

She was right. I could feel exactly how she felt; heartbroken, miserable, angry and many more emotions along those lines.

"I'm so sorry, Zoey," I whispered and bowed my head shamefully.

"You are?" Zoey actually sounded surprised.

I looked up at her, and found shock in her eyes. Why was she so surprised? Maybe she just wasn't thinking clearly. "Zoey," I said gently. "I was incredibly stupid. I will never, ever forgive myself for what happened back there. Not if I live a hundred thousand years."

"Why? It wasn't your fault," she whispered, then curled in on herself, obviously blaming herself instead of me.

"It was, Zoey. I supidly walked away when I was oath-bound to you. That's not what a good Warrior would have done. You deserve better than me." I looked down again.

"Hey," Zoey said softly, pulling my chin up. "You're new to this whole Warrior thing. I understand that you are bound to go wrong somwhere. But I can promise you that what happened to Heath was not your fault."

I smiled sadly. "I wish I could believe you. That's one of the many things I love about you. You are able to persuade people so well. When I'm with you, I can almost believe you. I come this close," I demonstrated by almost touching my index finger and thumb together. Zoey laughed. "I come so so close, but I know deep down that you're just trying to make me feel better or something like that."

"But I'm not," she insisted. "It was not your fault, Stark. I promise it was mine."

I stood up and helped Zoey to her feet. She swayed a little, but grabbed my shoulder and was fine. "I think we will have to agree to disagree, my lady. But if I promise you one thing let it be this: You will never, ever have to worry about me not being there for you. Ever. Okay?" I bent and kissed her hand that wasn't clutching my shoulder.

"Okay," she agreed.

"Now let's get you inside, priestess."


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for reviewing guys! Okay so I found these names for the next 6 House of Night books. I don't know if they're right or not, but here they are!  
7. Burned  
8. Stolen  
9. Burdened  
10. Touched  
11. Cloaked  
12. Wanted**

**OMG can't wait!! :L:L So here's the next chapter!**

**_Stevie Rae_**

"Are you sure you're okay?" Drew asked worriedly from the bed next to Stevie Rae.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." She answered irratibly as the nurse put cream on her back.

Drew wasn't convinced. "Are you in pain?"

"No, damn it! I'm fine, okay?"

Stevie Rae winced as the cream stung her burns.

"Okay," Drew muttered.

Stevie Rae sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I'm just in a bad mood, that's all. I did almost die, again."

Drew looked into her eyes for a long time, searching for something. She didn't know if he found it or not. Damn, but that boy had a good poker face. "Did it hurt?" He finally asked.

Stevie Rae closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her temple. "No, Drew, it tickled." She growled.

He chuckled. "I wasn't bein' funny," she glared at him.

"I know, I know," he continued laughing.

"Stevie Rae! There you are! Oh, Goddess. Are you okay?" Dallas ran to Stevie Rae's bed.

"Yeah, I'm fine, okay? Please don't ask me _again_." Stevie Rae said as she gave Drew a hard look.

"Okay. Jeez, that must have hurt," Dallas murmured.

"Oh, gee, you noticed?"

"What's got you all upset?" Dallas met her eyes.

"What's got me all upset? Uh, well, maybe I'm upset because I was burned today. As in, I almost disintegrated. And, on top of that, my so-called boyfriend doesn't seem to care all that much."

"Of course I care, Stevie Rae. I just - "

Stevie Rae's sharp intake of breath stopped him. But she wasn't gasping because the cream stung - no, she was getting used to that - , she was gasping because she felt an unnatural jolt in her stomach. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew that Z and the gang were having difficulties.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey thanks for the reviews you guys are awesome :D:D And for Aline who asked about the comment I made about Stark, I absolutely love him, I just meant that he'd be with me instead of at the HoN with Zoey :):)**

**_Zoey_**

"Do you feel better?" Erce asked tentatively. I was lying in a comfy bed in the infirmary and Erce had just given me medicine after Stark insisted I needed it. My friends were all clustered around my bed and Stark gripped my hand tightly in his, as if he was afraid that if he let go I wouldn't be here.

"Yeah, much better," I lied to Erce, who walked away, content. My voice was raspy, making me sound like an old woman. If I hadn't just had a near-death experience (or maybe just a death experience), Aphrodite would soo have mocked me. So it made me worried that, instead, she was hugging Darius and watching me with a concerned expression on her face.

"What?" My throat rattled. "Am I going to die or something?"

I started to completely freak out when my friends shuffled around, looking at their feet and awkwardly mumbled inaudible replies. Stark clutched my hand even tighter. I turned to him.

"Am I going to die?" I repeated. My voice would have definitely rose with panic, had it not been so, well, raspy. Stark shared a definite Look with Darius, who shook his head. "She needs to know," Stark persisted, his voice breaking. He turned to my friends. "Guys?" he asked meaningfully, and immediately they dispersed. Stark pulled up a chair beside me.

"Zoey, your Mark is no longer filled in and added to," he said gently, always watching my face.

"Okay," I said, my tone indicating that he should continue.

"Well," he hesitated (woah - Stark hesitating? This was bad). "If a normal fledgling went through what you just did, chances are their bodies would soon reject the Change."

"And now I'm a normal fledgling," I stated the obvious.

Stark confirmed what I had said by hanging his head. "Zoey, I-" he began in a whisper.

"Shh," I said, putting my finger to his soft lips.

He met my gaze then, and spoke again. "Zoey, even if you won't let me blame this on myself - because it's most definitely my fault - at least let me tell you that I'm genuinely sorry about Heath. If it's any consolation, even I'm going to miss him." His voice was muffled by my finger.

Slowly, weakly, I lowered my hand. I had talked to Heath in the Otherworld. Had Nyx not been there, I would probably have thought of it as a dream. But she _had_ been there, and it wasn't a dream.

"Zoey," Stark said softly. "What are you hiding from me?"

I reluctantly met his eyes. Could I really tell him? Should I?

"Z, as I said before, I'm your Warrior. You can trust me with absolutely anything." Stark's face was totally serious. His eyes sparkled with sincerity.

"I . . . I think I was dead for a while," I whispered, dropping my gaze to our hands.

"I think you were, too." I could feel him still watching my face.

"I talked to Heath."

"Then he went looking for me, right?" Stark was totally oblivious. I looked up from our joined hands and into his deep eyes again. They were so easy to get lost in. And there were so many emotions that were so easy to see in them; relief, understanding, kindness, confusion-

"Zoey," Stark's voice was thick with only worry now. Of course he had heard my internal babble, or at least picked up the tone of it. Hell, he probably thought I needed therapy. I know I did.

"That's not what I meant." My voice wasn't much above a whisper. Stark's big brown eyes asked me to go on.

"I talked to - to Heath after he died." I searched for a sign on his face that said he thought I was a crazy person, but all I found was pure curiosity.

"Where?" he asked.

"In the Otherworld. We were in a big meadow, and it was sunny but it didn't bother me. Heath was fishing, then he told me I didn't beling there. And it wasn't a dream, Stark, it wasn't because Nyx came."

Belief was now obvious on his face. "Nyx? Did she say anything about your Marks?"

I shook my head. "She was there to talk to Heath and congratulate him." I remembered something else. "And Heath said that if you don't treat me well, he'll haunt you."

Stark smiled. "He doesn't have to worry. I gotta say, I liked him a lot more than that Erik Night. Heath was easy to get along with, and didn't think he was the best thing since sliced bread."

I laughed - not an attractive sound when it sounds like your throat is stuffed with metal rattling around the place. "Sliced bread?"

"You've gotta read more, Z," he said playfully.

"I do read, thank you very much. I just don't recall coming across that . . . phrase."

He laughed again. "Zoey, promise to tell me if you feel sick in any way. Promise?"

"Promise. I don't think I'm going to die, Stark."

He smiled sadly. "Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better."

Suddenly Stark yelped. He let go of my hand and fell to his knees. Clutching his Mark, he roared in agony.

"Stark! What is it?!" I sat up weakly.

Erce rushed in. "What's happening?"

I ignored her. Finding strength in my love for Stark, I climbed out of the bed. If he could climb stairs after almost being killed, I could get my butt out of bed to help him.

"Stark?" I asked, dropping to my knees beside him and grabbing his arm.

"Zoey, I - " he broke off to roar again. "Zoey, I'm fine. Go - go back to bed."

I shook my head determindly."Tell me what's wrong."

"Neferet," was all he said before fainting.


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay so here's Rephaim's part. Sadly, I still don't own the House of Night . . . or Stark . . . :(:(**

**_Rephaim_**

Rephaim grumbled to himself as he trudged aling the smelly ditch. His ankle was twisited very badly, and it felt like his broken wing was screaming at him. Just the thought of never flying again was enough to make Rephaim stand onto the busy motorway. But then he thought of Stevie Rae. He knew from experience that if he was in pain, she would be too. So he would _not_ kill himself so he would not cause her pain.

The bandage she had wrapped tightl around his broken wing was becoming loose, so his wing was flapping around uncontrollably.

Rephaim cursed the Red One under his breath. His father had said that she could not be trusted. If it wasn't for the Imprint, Rephaim would find it hard to believe she was sending him to a safe place. But they _were_ Imprinted, and he knew Stevie Rae would not expose him.

What would his father say about the Imprint? Would he use it to get to the Red One, or would he just punish Rephaim for giving her blood when he should have let her die? Rephaim shuddered as he thought of what punishments had been received by his brothers before.

He screamed in agony as he accidently walked on his bad ankle. A car slowed down so the driver could look at him. Not wanting to attract any attention, Rephaim kept his head down and limped on, despite the terrible pain it caused him and, perhaps, Stevie Rae.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks to everyone for reviewing so quickly! Since I read Tempted, I'm finding it easy to write fanfic, which is unusual for me. I'm normally lousy at writing HoN fanfiction. I don't know when this adrenaline rush for writing this will stop, so I might as well make the most of it!**

**_Zoey_**

"Is he going to be okay?" How many times had I asked that in the past coupke of days?

"Just relax," a nurse (who told me her name was Hera) tried to soothe me back into my bed.

"No! I shouted, thrashing against her uselessly.

Several other nurses were gathered around the bed to my left where Stark lay unconcious.

Hera was clearly starting to get worried. "Zoey, please lie down. You must not forget that you need rest just as nuch, if not more, than your Warrior does."

Why was everyone so unfeeling recently, talking about Stark as if he was so easy to replace? Just as Heath, my consort, would never be replaced, neither would my Warrior Stark.

I stopped struggling against Hera and looked her in the eye. "Will Stark be okay?" My voice was hoarse.

She avoided my gaze. "We're doing the best we can." With that, she left, reminding me of a mouse as she scuttled away, her short (ironically mousy coloured) hair bobbing up and down.

I sat up and tried to get a glimpse of Stark. The nurses were rushing around him.

I sent up a silent prayer to Nyx. _Please please please let Stark be okay. Please watch over him, Nyx_.

Erce strode into the infirmary with a sense of power and authority about her. I guess it surprised me because she was a Horse Mistress, nothing like the High Priestess she acted like.

"Give him space," she commanded, and the nurses quickly bustled away to only the Goddess knows where. Erce breezed past me, her long dark hair rising and blowing back with her coat which swept the floor, though there was no wind. I wondered if she maybe had an affinity for air like me and Damien. Her heels clicked as she walked to Stark.

"Can you help him?" I asked as she took his pulse.

"Yes. I, like Neferet, or Nyx Incarnate as she seemingly prefers, have been gifted with healing powers by Nyx."

I stayed quiet as she put her hands on Stark's cheeks and closed her eyes. Almost immediately his eyelids fluttered and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Zoey," he mumbled, looking around.

"I'm here, Stark," I murmured.

He looked at me and relaxed.

"Stark, is everything okay?"

He glanced at Erce, who sighed. "Fine, I will leave you two alone to talk." Before she left, she looked at Stark. "And don't use up too much energy. You're low enough on it as it is."

"Stark-" I began.

"No." His tone was final.

"You don't even know what I was going to say!"

"You were going to tell me to suck your blood." He met my eyes calmly.

"Fine, so you do know. Please, Stark, you need it."

"No. I want to, Z, I told you that just before I Changed, remember? I just _can't_."

"But you_ can_! That's the point! You need energy, Stark, and I can't risk losing you, too." I dropped my gaze from him.

"Hey," he said gently. "If I really, _really_ think I need it, which is unlikely, I'll let you know. Okay?"

"Okay," I agreed. "Now, tell me what's up with Neferet."

He blew out a big breath. "I was hoping you'd forgotten."

"Uh, not likely."

Although we were the only people in the infirmary, Stark lowered his voice. "Maybe it's because she's the one who awakened me, I don't know, but I think she still has some kind of . . . power over me."

"What?!?! Power!? What kind of power?"

"I don't think it's a very strong hold, but it's something. She wants me on their side again, because of my gift. It's handy to them. I think she can send me some kind of message in my head, telling me to come to her."

"Is that what she did earlier?"

Stark nodded. "I don't want to give in to it, but when it happens . . . it's just so easy to do. I think I might have, if you weren't there."

"So now _I'm_ the one who has to follow _you_ around like a puppy?"

"No, I'll still follow you," he grinned. "You give me strength, Zoey."

"Well, okay then. Now _please_ bite me."

"No. I vow that I will never bite you unless I abslolutely have to."


	8. Chapter 8

**Wow I'm pretty amazed by the amount of reviews!! Sadly, ideas aren't coming to me as easily anymore. So I might take a little longer to upload, but I'll still try to do it quickly! Especially over the weekend, I might not get much time once school is back . . . :(:( **

**_Aphrodite_**

Aphrodite was so worried about Zoey. What was up with the Marks being gone?? And now Stark was convieniently sick too. What a great Warrior. Not. Aphrodite was soo soo lucky she had such a good Warrior. Zoey was probably jealous. A small smile spread across Aphrodite's face as that thought played around in her head.

But it faded quickly when a nurse came to the waiting room that they were, well, waiting in. "Hello, my name is Hera," she said, offering her hand to Darius who, being the gentleman he was, grasped her forearm in the traditional vampyre handshake.

"How are they?" he asked, his voice calm.

"Fortunately, we don't see any problems with Zoey that suggest she might reject the Change."

"And Stark?" Jack asked. Aphrodite turned to sneer at him, but decided not to. As much as she hated Stark for what he let happen, she knew he tried his best. She could even bet her life (and Darius's) that he was kicking himself, too.

"Yes, yes, he seems fine too," Hera shook off the question, so obviously saying that it was much more important that Zoey got better.

The nerd herd all relaxed. "So, can we see them?" Damien asked worriedly. Ugh, that stupid gay boy. He was even worse than Jack, though Jack was much more camp. Damien was a good person, Aphrodite knew that he meant well, but he was just such a damn know-it-all.

"If you wish. Follow me."

Aphrodite, Darius and the herd of nerd followed Hera into the stuffy room where Zoey was sleeping. Stark was sitting up.

"She looks much better!" Jack exclaimed excitedly.

"Well done, you!" Damien said to Hera. Ugh. Aphrodite seriously hated his guts whenever he said that.

"Yes. Well, I'll leave you alone with your friends." With that, Hera practically bounced off.

"How are you, young Warrior?" Darius asked quietly so as not to wake Zoey.

"_I'm_ fine," Stark muttered, staring at Zoey. Honestly! The boy only knew her for, what, a week?! Aphrodite glared at him, but he didn't notice. Darius squeezed her shoulder, and as if reading her mind said, "Be nice. He loves her too, you know."

"Aphrodite," Stark said suddenly, surprising her. "Did you have any more visions since, you know . . . " he trailed off.

"Um , no." Aphrodite replied, totally taken aback. "Why?"

"Could you just let me know if you do? Before you tell Zoey?"

Now _that_ made Aphrodite suspicious. What was he hiding from Zoey? "Please, Aphrodite," Stark turned to her, unleashing the full power of his big brown eyes.

"I don't know . . . " she mumbled.

"I think he knows what he is doing, my love," Darius said quietly.

"Okay then. But I'm gonna tell Darius first."

"No!" Stark shouted quickly. Zoey stirred.

"Happy now?" Aphrodite hissed once she settled back down.

"Please, Aphrodite, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't so important."

"Oh, alright. But it better be damn well important. What sort of vision should I tell you about?"

"Any. Even if you think it has absolutely nothing to do with Zoey or Kalona."

Aphrodite reluctantly agreed, but only because she knew Darius wanted her to. And that scared her. Since when did she do what guys wanted her to do?


	9. Chapter 9

**Okay I'm sorry to report that the rush is totally gone. So, I'll really have to use my head :L:L Here goes ..**

**_Stevie Rae_**

The night was freezing for a human. Almost as cold as it was a few nights ago when the ice storm took place. It might have even been cold for a fledgling. But, being a red vampyre, Stevie Rae found she was practically imune to it. Huh. Well, pity she couldn't have been imune to the sun. Then she wouldn't feel like she did that time her mama took her and her brothers to the beach when she was seven. Stevie Rae had no idea it was going to be so hot, and didn't put on enough sun screen. She got so burned that the skin on her back started to peel off.

Now she felt just the same. The cream that the nurse had put on her back and hands had really helped, and apparently as a red vampyre she could heal real quick, too. A wind blew, cooling Stevie Rae's back. Damn, that felt good. Suddenly Stevie Rae had a longing for her friend Damien, who could make her feel like that for hours on end. She realised for the first time how much she really missed her friends. Especially Z, her BFF. Why had she kept Rephaim from her? If she had just let him die ...

But no, she couldn't think like that, especially now she was Imprinted with him. And she was sure he was good deep down, where it counts. He had just been misled by his father.

_"Mee-uf-ow!"_ Stevie Rae looked down from where she was sitting on the east wall to find Nala yowling at her.

"Hey there, Nal. I'll bet you're missin' Zoey too, huh?"

The chubby little cat, who wa surprisingly light on her feet, hopped up the tree and waslked slowly across the branch so she could sit beside Stevie Rae.

"Don't worry, girl. She'll be back real soon, I promise. She just has to sort some things out." Then, suddenly, the feeling Stevie Rae had had while in the infirmary came back, even worse. Earlier she had just shrugged it off but now it was screaming at her.

"Somethin's wrong." Stevie Rae said to Nala. Then she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and hit the first number on speed dial. It rang a few times before Zoey answered. "Stevie Rae?" she asked, her voice husky.

"Zoey? Are y'all okay?"

"No, not really."

"I knew it! What happened?"

"Well, first of all the meeting thing went badly and they all seem to believe Kalona instead of us."

Stevie Rae sucked in a sharp breath. "How can they believe_ him_?!"

"Oh, he can be very convincing," Zoey muttered. "So anyway, I was in a bad mood and said some mean things to Stark and then he went away 'cause he said Kalona had got to my head and then Kalona killed Heath."

"What?! Omigod!"

"I know. And now Stark's blaming himself."

_Good, it's his fault,_ Stevie Rae thought furiously. "Any more news?"

"Stark and I are both in hospital."

"What? How could you not tell me til now?!" Stevie Rae asked, though she really only cared that Zoey was unwell. That damn Stark, thinking he was the big cheese. Lives were lost because of him.

"The other stuff was more important. I'm kinda weak at the moment and my Mark isn't filled in and added to anymore. And Neferet has some kind of hold over Stark."

"Uh, Z, that's kind of important. How are you supposed to be all special when you're just an average fledgling now? And how can Stark be your Warrior when there's still some evil left in him?"

"He's not evil!" Zoey immediately defended him. "It's not his fault! She's the one who woke him up. Who knows, she could have control over you, too."

"She doesn't have control over me." Stevie Rae was positive.

"You don't know that," Zoey continued. "Stark didn't. What makes you so special?"

"I'm the red vampyre High Priestess." As she said the words, she knew she was right. "The first one, at that. So she can't touch me."

Zoey was silent. "You have a point. Anyway, I gotta go. I'm supposed to be sleeping."

"Oh, sorry, Z. By the way, Nal says hi."

"Aww. Take care of her, would ya? I'll be back soon enough."

"Yeah, don't worry, Nala's fine. See you soon, Z."

As she hung up the phone, Stevie Rae felt a sharp pain in her wing. Onlt she didn't have a wing. That darn Imprint! She felt sorry for Rephaim, though. She kinda understood how he was feeling. He had to trust people he was trained to hate, and was left alone by the people he thought cared about him. Yeah, Stevie Rae could sort of relate to that.

**OMG my dog died just over 5 weeks ago and we're getting a cat next Friday. I don't really want one, I still really miss my dog (AND I just got a phone call from my cousin who said her dog died today) but I think it would be really cool if I named the cat after one of the cats in the HoN. I want to name him Maleficent because he's just like Aphrodite's cat, just not as vicious, but my mom doesn't like it. OR Stark, OR Kalona. Any suggestions?**


	10. Chapter 10

**Wow, I never got this many reviews before! So, about the cat thing, my mom just won't let me call him Maleficent/Stark/Kalona/Dragon. But there are so many great names in the HoN series, so if you guys could send me any names at all that you think would be good for a big white male cat that'd be great. Thanks!**

**_Stark_**

Zoey was finally asleep again. She had been awake all night (well, day, whatever) but it wasn't like she was running a fever or delirious or anything. Stark had tried to tell her to go to sleep so many times but she was in no mood for being told what to do. At least she was sleeping peacefully now. It gave Stark time to think.

Why was Zoey convinced that Heath's death was her fault? Because when she tried to save him she couldn't? Because she was the only person there when Stark stupidly left?

Stark could actually kill himself. How mant people would die because of him? Suddenly he thought of Will, and felt guilty. What would Will say if he was here? Stark failed at everything. Being a best friend. A Warrior.

Stark would do anything at all to make Zoey feel better. What would he have done if Zoey died? It didn't bear thinking about.

"Warrior?" Darius was standing at the end of Stark's bed. Huh. He hadn't heard him come in. For once that chick who actually thought she was a love goddess wasn't hanging off his side.

"Hey," Stark said huskily.

"Warrior, I think you should take blood from your lady."

Stark's face hardened. "No."

"Warrior, I don't think you know exactly _how_ ill you are."

"I'm fine."

"Yes, you are now. But Stark, you need blood. And fast. Otherwise who knows what will happen?"

"Then I'll take blood." Darius beamed. "But not from Zoey."

"Stark, Zoey is our High Priestess. Her blood is the most powerful." Darius tried to reason with him.

"I don't care. I'd rather die than hurt her in any way." He winced as he realised that he'd already hurt he

"I completely agree with you. I, too, would rather die than hurt Aphrodite." Stark rolled his eyes internally. Like that was the same thing as him and Zoey? "But," Darius continued. "I've already had this conversation with Zoey the night you were in bed at the abbey after Kalona was banished. Stark, if she lost you, she would be devatated. She, too, would die."

With that, he left. Stark grumbled to himself. Why did Darius _do_ this to him? He really didn't want to take Zoey's blood. But he might just have to.


	11. Chapter 11

**_Rephaim_**

Rephaim had reached the 'haunted' house Stevie Rae had sent him to. He looked up before going in. It was basically a big ugly house, nothing special about it at all. The paint was peeling off and several windows were broken. The big wooden door was opened already. How any one with a working brain could actually be in the least bit scared of the house Rephaim didn't know.

Sighing, he went inside. Behind the big wooden door was a long, damp, smelly hall. His new home. Great.

He felt a sharp pain in his wing. He looked at the loose bandage and groaned. Using his beak, he attempted to tighten it, but had no luck. He grumbled to himself about the Red One.

_Well, might as well make myself at home,_ he thought miserably before limping up the stairs that looked very unsafe.

And they_ were_ unsafe. With the first step the ugly wooden stair broke beneath him. Rephaim screeched and instinctively flapped his wings. And he flew.

Suddenly Rephaim felt a burst of happiness. And he had thought he would never fly again! Now he could go find his father . . . If only he knew where he was.

Sighing in defeat, Rephaim landed on the wet stone floor. He needed a plan, and quickly.


	12. Chapter 12

**Apparently the cat will be named Gandalf. But if you guys still have any suggestions, please tell me so I can try to change it before it's too late!!!**

**_Zoey_**

"Stark?" I asked nervously. I was no longer in the hospital bed. Hera had (finally!) agreed that I could leave. Except I didn't, 'cause I was with Stark the whole time.

"Zoey, don't waste your breath." Whenever I wanted to ask him to take my blood, his tone developed a ring of finality.

I sighed. "_Please_, Stark. You need it more than I do."

He made a sound that would have been a laugh if there had been any humor in it. "That's a lie, Z. You're our High Priestess. You can't afford to lose any energy."

"Oh, come on. Why don't you just tell me why you _really_ won't take my blood?" I felt tears of rejection and anger build up. I blinked before they started to overflow.

Stark looked honestly surprised. "What do you mean? I've told you the real reason." His eyes were wide and sincere. I turned away as my eyes began to fill up again.

"Are you_ crying_? Oh, Z, don't cry. Please. I'm sorry. Come here." Unwillingly, I walked slowly towards his outstretched arms.

He scooted over as far as he could so he could pull me up onto the bed next to him. "Zoey," he said seriously, wiping away my tears. "Zoey, what I told you is the truth. I totally want to suck the hell out of you. But I just_ can't_." His moan was anguished.

I cupped his cheek in my hand. "But I want you to."

"I know you do. I want to. But I don't want to risk it."

"What do you have to risk?"

"What if I can't stop and drain all your blood from your body? That's one."

"I'm willing to take that chance," I muttered.

"Zoey, please just listen to me. I promised you that if I ever needed blood I would come to you. Well, I don't need it. And-"

He was cut off by Hera, the nurse that was extremely mouse-like. "Young priestess, be careful not to hurt your Warrior," she said absentmindedly. ten, "Now, High Priestess, the Council are wondering if you feel well enough to continue speaking against Erebus and Nyx Incarnate tomorrow. That is, unless you've changed your mind about them."

Well, it was obvious whos side Hera was on. "No, I haven't changed my mind." I told her firmly.

"Wait . . . is Kalona back?" Stark asked.

"_Erebus_," Hera put emphasis on the name, "never left."

I could tell by Stark's expression that he obviously disagreed.

"I will continue to speak against him. I will be there tomorrow." I said, my tone indicating that Hera could leave now. And she did.

"He left after you threw spirit at him, Z, I saw him flying away."

I shrugged. "Well, he's back now. And I know I'm going to have a really hard time tomorrow trying to persuade the Council."

"I'll go too."

"What?" Why did he want to go? "But you're sick. You can't."

"I'm not sick, Zoey. I'll be there."

"No. You won't be there."

"What?! Why not?"

"Because if Neferet has control over you, you could end up being on their side without even realizing it."

"Okay, Zoey, listen to me. I will be there because _if _Neferet tries anything funny, I can decide against it with you there. _And_ I will be there because if she's stupid enough to try it, the Council will see and then they'll be on our side. So we win." Then he smiled a truly breathtaking smile and kissed me so gently that he left me frozen like a moron. But finally I responded and we laughed and held each other for I don't know how long.

* * *

**Once again, I do NOT own the House Of Night, the Casts do and may I say that they are true geniuses. If I owned the House Of Night I would be totally rich and I would buy a tiger and a slave and feed the slave to the tiger XD That would be fun to watch ! **


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks again to everyone who reviewed. And thanks to everyone who sent me private mail and offered me some of their ideas XD You guys are awesome! I might be able to upload a few more chapters tonight. I really don't know what's going to happen when I go back to school tomorrow because I go to supervised study and won't be home til 6, except on Wednesdays but then I have music lessons. Anyway, I'll try to update whenever I can.**

**_Stevie Rae_**

Stevie Rae was at the east wall again. She didn't mean to come here, but whilst her mind wandered her feet seemed to bring her here themselves. It wasn't like she had good memories there. Sure, it was where they cast their first circle and all, but plently of bad things happened there, like Professor Nolan's body being left there and Kalona rising. Evil things happened there, and Stevie Rae couldn't help but wonder if she kept ending up there because she was evil, too.

Nala was with her again. She was annoyed about Zoey leaving her, or so Stevie Rae assumed. But it was comforting to stroke her all the same. "Zoey said that she's talkin' to the Council about Kalona again today," she told Nala who sneezed in response. "I hope she wins. It's gonna be pretty awful around here if she doesn't."

"Stevie Rae?" Startled, Stevie Rae looked around and saw Drew standing at the end of the wall.

"Oh, hi, Drew," she said, stroking Nala who hadn't appreciated Stevie Rae moving so suddenly.

"Stevie Rae . . . You _are_ okay, aren't you?"

"What do you mean? Of course I'm okay. I heal pretty quick."

"I'm not talking about that - though I'm glad you do. I mean . . . since you died. You're not the same person anymore, are you?"

She sighed. "No, Drew, I'm not. The Stevie Rae you knew is gone. Dead. So you don't have to keep talkin' to me."

"What? But I want to talk to you."

Now _that_ surprised Stevie Rae. She knew he had liked her before she died. But now she was different. She didn't think that Drew was attracted to her anymore.

"You do? But . . . why?"

Drew climbed up the tree and sat beside her. "I like you, Stevie Rae." He slowly reached for her hand that wasn't stroking Nala.

"I like you, too, Drew." Stevie Rae said, letting him take her hand. "But after what happened, I thought - "

"We all think things," Drew said before kissing her.

Stevie Rae was surprised, but responded instantly, instinctively. Drew's kiss was really sweet, like he was unsure yet confident at the same time. And Stevie Rae ruefully admitted to herself that she loved it.

* * *

Stevie Rae giggled to herself like a looney. Drew had walked her back to the dorm, then kissed her again before leaving and promising to see her the next day. It was just like it had been between the two of them before she died. Except that she was sort of a zombie, all the other girls were pods and the world was only so far from being in utter chaos.

But, other than that, it was like old times. Guiltily, Stevie Rae thought of Dallas, her sort of boyfriend. Sigh. She knew how Z felt now! She would have to call her soon to talk about it. And to find out how her appeal had gone. Stevie Rae felt guitly again. She had been so intoxicated by Drew's presence that she had forgotten all about it.


	14. Chapter 14

**Okay, so who saw the X Factor?! John and Edward are a joke. And as an Irish person, I'm so embarrassed!! And APPALLED!! I think Lloyd or Lucie should win. Who agrees with me?!  
So a big THANKS goes to you guys, I can't believe there are 39 reviews!! **

**

* * *

**

_**Zoey**_

I walked into the old church for the second time. I tried not to look at the image of Erebus (who looked scarily like Kalona) on the window, but my eyes seemed to have a different idea. I shivered at his big white wings. I could kill Kalona. I couldn't believe I had actually started to believe there was a way to save him. I realise now how incredibly stupid I was. No one that sick and twisted could _ever _be saved. A chill went through me as I thought of that dream . . . where he had taken my hand and convinced me . . . "You saved Stark . . . can't you save me?" His voice whispered though my mind.

Stark must have seen and sensed my uncomfort and disbelief, because he squeezed my hand reassuringly. I thanked him with my eyes. Looking at him now, it seemed as if there had never been a reason for him to be in a hospital bed these last few days. He looked fine and healthy, but I noticed he didn't have that sense of energy that he always did. And he was much more serious than he had ever been in the time I had known him. I suddenly remembered how I had moved him up from _meh _to _hot_ that first day. It was because everything he did seemed deliberate, from walking next to me now to putting food on his plate.

We reached our seats, and Stark squeezed my hand again as we sat down. I was never more nervous in my whole life. Stark shot me a worried glance. I'd have to learn to keep my emotions under control when around him. "Please stand." Erce had said. We stood and the Vampyre High Council entered. As they walked past me, I again felt intimidated by the sense of power they exuded. Then, just like last time, Neferet and Kalona entered and the Council sat down when they did, as if they were waiting for them and respected them more than us. Well, hell. The worst start.

The Council signaled for us to sit down, too. I looked at Nerferet and Kalona. Even through my anger and hatred, it was impossible not to find them astonishingly beautiful. Though I did think that the black jeans, black shoes, black wings, no shirt look was getting a bit old for Kalona. A bit worn out. Neferet did not look like she did when I first came to the House of Night. When she had helped Kalona rise, her hair had darkened, and so had her features, in the sense that by looking at her you would assume she was up to no good. Or maybe that's just how I felt, knowing the truth.

Kalona looked at me then. His eyes showed no depth, and it took a lot of effort to tear my gaze from him. Neferet smirked at me, obviously positive we were going to lose.

The senior member I recognized as Duantia stood. "The High Council is convened for the continuation of this special session. I call us to order. May Nyx lend her wisdom and guidance to us."

"May Nyx lend her wisdom and guidance to us," the rest of the room repeated in a monotone.

"The last time we questioned Neferet and the one who claims to be Erebus."

"Nyx Incarnate," Neferet interrupted, but was ignored except for a hard look from Duantia.

"Last time we questioned Neferet and the one who calls himself Erebus first. Today we question High Priestess of Tulsa House of Night, Zoey Redbird, and her witnesses first."

I didn't miss Neferet's catlike green eyes narrow as she glared at me when I was addressed as High Priestess. I stood up and cleared my throat. I felt perspiration on the back of my neck. That just showed how nervous I was. I was always one of those kids who would be at those parties in Chuckies where all the other kids end up dripping, and not have one bead of sweat on her forehead or anywhere else for that matter. But now I was Lee Evans himself.

"We," I gestured to my friends - minus one - and then turned back to Duantia and the rest of the Council, "are testifying against Neferet and the one who claims he is Erebus. We understand that you may sway towards them rather than us because, as is obvious in your windows, this . . . . man . . . . " I looked at Kalona, "looks just like our Goddess's consort, Erebus. But I can assure you that he is _not_ who he says he is. I am descended from Cherokee people, and they also know him. They call him Kalona. They believe that thousands of years ago he came to their village and took advantage of all the women there. They trapped him in the earth, but did not kill him. Recently Neferet was led astray by persuasion and her hatred for humans. She made Kalona rise, and as you can see she looks different since then."

I paused. "Kalona has hypnotized everyone at our House of Night except for us," again I gestured to my friends, "and three professors, Lenobia, Dragon and his wife Anastasia who was tragically killed by one of Kalona's minions, the Raven Mockers, who are basically half men and half bird, and are able to speak, some better than others." I suddenly thought of Rephaim, Kalona's favourite son, and wondered what had become of him.

"He gets into our dreams, and Stark can agree with me that he has been in my dreams more than once."

Duantia rose. "Stark, would you mind elaborating on what Zoey has just said?"

Stark stood, and I sat back down. "I can vouch for that," he started, then thought better of it. This was no time for his casualness. "To explain properly, I'm going to tell you about my gift." My breath caought in my mouth. Stark was going to tell the whole story from the beginning, and where it began was with his gift for archery, killing his friend Will. What would the vamps make of that?

* * *

**Sorry I was going to continue with Stark's part but my mom keeps calling me so maye tomorrow!! Please review !! x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x**


	15. Chapter 15

**Okay so I got a PM from Little Daphmir saying that she didn't understand why Stark had to explain about Will and his gift, so just in case the rest of you were confused it's because if you think about it it's all related to why he ended up in Zoey's bedroom in Hunted. So, once again, thanks for all the reviews, I know you probably hate me for repeating myself OVER AND OVER again .. But seriously, you guys are just the best! Hugs! xxxxx**

**

* * *

**

_**Stark**_

Stark had never told anybody (with the exception of Zoey) about what had happened with Will, though he was positive all the professors at the Chicago House of Night and some of the professors at the Tulsa House of Night knew. But here he was, about to tell the Vampyre High Council, and a church filled with vamps.

"Since I was Marked four years ago, I have been very good at archery. I was gifted by Nyx. I didn't know about my gift until I entered the Summer Games with my mentor and best friend, William Chidsey, just over half a year ago. For almost two centuries, Will beat everyone. But then I came, and I killed him." Stark paused to let the vamps absorb that information. There were a few gasps and murmers, and Neferet smirked at him.

"Continue." Duantia commanded, and the room was silent again.

Stark looked into her eyes pleadingly. "Will and I were in the lead, and first and second place were guaranteed to go to us. We were warming up, and Will was standing to my right. I wanted to win more than anything." His mouth twisted in self-mockery, like the way it did when he told Zoey this story. "So when I drew the bow I thought about beating Will, and although I was aiming straight ahead of me and Will was still standing to my right, the arrow hit his heart and killed him instantly. Because he was the target in my mind. That's how I found out about my gift." He glanced at Zoey, and decided not to tell the High Council the part with the owl and the train. They got the picture.

"At the Chicago House of Night, I suddenly became unpopular." Stark had never told Zoey this part. He hadn't had time. "Whenever I walked past a group of people, they went quiet but started whispering as soon as I was gone. That was why I was so surprised that _she_ wanted me to transfer to the Tulsa House of Night."

"Please be more clear," Duantia said quietly, but her voice carried out through the whole church.

"I was surprised when _Neferet_ requested my transfer." Stark's mouth twisted again, this time in hatred. He looked up at the Council. "Can you understand me?" he asked, but not in his usual cocky way. "Can you understand how strange it was that they were suddenly so interested in me?"

The Council didn't reply, but there were more murmers, sounding approving of Stark. "I moved with my dog Duchess just over a week ago. And then I died in the field house while practising archery, just after I told Zoey Redbird about my gift."

"We have a question, James." Duantia said when one of the other elderly vamps whispered in her ear. How had she known his name was James? Well, used to be. "Why did you practise when you knew you could kill? Did it not cross your mind that if you were talking to Zoey, you would be thinking of her and then she would be killed, too?"

Stark grimaced at the thought. "I was practising because when I don't, it feels as if a part of me is being ripped away. And I stopped practising while talking to Zoey. I'm aware of the danger."

The Council nodded, satisfied with his excuse. "Continue." Said Duantia.

"A few days later, Neferet brought me back to life with her healing powers, which is why, as you can see, my Marks are red. Because she was there when I woke up, I was under her control." He noticed Zoey tense up beside him, and instantly felt guilty for mentioning that he had been the way he was because she had not been there instead of Neferet. "She wanted me for my gift, so I could help her and Kalona in their war against humans. I was struggling for a while to not obey them, but she had too much power over me. Then, after Zoey was attacked by a Raven Mocker, one of Kalona's sons, and had to come back to the House of Night, she made me feel like I really could be good again. So I was walking past her room as she was dreaming of Kalona."

Kalona cleared his throat. Duantia looked at him. "Do you have something to say?"

"I would prefer if James would kindly refer to me as Erebus, my true name." Stark gritted his teeth, and it took all his effort not to pounce on him there and then.

"I came into Zoey's room because I heard her cat going crazy, and then I told Zoey what I heard from Kal - _Erebus_. I told her that it was harder for him to get into your dreams if you are sleeping with someone."

Someone laughed. "Quiet!" Duantia said loudly. "Explain." She said to Stark.

"I mean if you are sleeping next to someone, as in touching them, he can't get in. So Zoey agreed and K - _Erebus_ didn't enter her dreams again that night. The next day I spoke with Zoey and pledged to be her Warrior, at which point I chose good over evil and became a Red Vampyre. Then Zoey and her friends banished Kalona to here."

There was a long silence. "Erebus," Kalona corrected quietly.

"Please do not speak unless recognized by the Council. You will not be warned again." Duantia's warning was half-hearted, because she was gazing at Stark. Her face wasn't hard to read. It looked like she believed him, but was judging him by what he had said about Will at the same time.

"He lies!" Everyone looked at Neferet, shocked at her outburst.

"You two will not be warned again!" Duantia's flare was back. "Neferet - _do not try to correct me!_ - you may voice your opinion."

"I reqested Stark's transfer simply because I knew the Chicago House of Night were uncomfortable with him being there. That is all I have to say."

"And is it true that you brought him back from the dead?"

Neferet paused. "Yes."

"Why?"

"It just seemed like such a waste, and I didn't like leaving him die when I could have stopped it."

Duantia didn't look impressed. "James, do you wish to add any more?"

"Yes. Kalona, or Erebus, whatever he calls himself, killed Heath, Zoey's human consort that was here before. I think, but am not sure, that he killed him because Heath heard him say something to Neferet." Stark looked at Zoey apologetically. "Why else would he kill him, aside from the fact that he is a sick, twisted psychopath? Zoey tried to save Heath, but there was nothing she could do. I should have been there; I could have saved Heath _and_ Zoey. But I was stupid, and I wasn't there." Then he turned to Zoey. "I really am sorry, Zoey."

"Has anyone else anything to say?"

Kalona stood, his wings spreading out as if stretching. "I killed Zoey's consort by a terrible, tragic mistake. I regret it more than anything, and I would like to apologize formally to Zoey, James and their friends." He looked at them, something chilling glinting in his fathomless eyes. "I am sorry, children."

Well, he had won the vamps' love, that was for sure. "Thank you, Erebus. Thanks you Zoey, James and Neferet. We will now discuss what we have heard, and report back to you all as soon as possible."

Then Stark was standing again, holding Zoey's hand tight in his own as the Vampyres passed and left the room.

* * *

**Hope everyhing is clear to you guys now! Lots 'O' Love!!!! x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x**


	16. Chapter 16

**Okay, so YET AGAIN I thank you all for reviewing, I seriously can't believe it! So I tried writing more yesterday and I just COULDN'T. So if this chapter is kinda dumb, be sure to tell me!!**

**_Zoey_**

Once the Council had passed, Stark's grip on my hand loosened but didn't drop. I turned to him, and found him already staring at me.

"You never told me about no one talking to you after what happened at the Summer Games." I said.

"There's a lot of things about me that I never told you, Z." He replied, his gaze never leaving mine.

"Ugh! You two flirt so much I would officially NOT be surprised if you got verbally pregnant, Z." Aphrodite said from behind me.

I spun around to shoot my comeback at her (seriously, I had a good one) when Stark said quietly, "It was the vision, wasn't it?"

Aphrodite dropped her sarcastic sneer and bowed her head. "Yeah."

"What? What vision?" I was totally lost.

"The vision Aphrodite had of you dying. And me, just standing there and stupidly watching." Stark said with salf-hatred.

"What? You mean when Kalona killed . . . " I trailed off. Stark and Aphrodite nodded.

"Oh. Well, at least we don't have to worry about it now," I said, trying to sound cheerful.

Stark wasn't buying it. "No. Because it just proves my damn stupidity. I was _told_ to be careful, because that could happen. So what did I do? I walked away from you when you obviously needed me." He hung his head in shame.

"Stark," I said gently, "It wasn't your fault. As soon as you accept that, the better. It was wrong of me to throw the thing about Becca in your face. You were a completely different person then, and I knew that. So I'm sorry."

Suddenly Stark was no longer serious, but smiling. "Naw, _I'm_ sorry, Zoey," he said, nudging me gently. His face looked like his old self, but his eyes were still traumatized.

"Come on, let's go get something to eat. I'm dying for a can of brown pop." I said quickly.

Stark laughed. "Yeah, okay. Let's get our amazing High Priestess a drink," he said, pulling me by my hand towards the door. "Our amazingly _hot_ High Priestess . . . " he murmered.

"Shut up," I said, but laughed. Laughing felt good. It was as if my laughter said, _what are you going to do now, Kalona? I have my friends and the truth, and that's all that matters._

"I like to speak the truth," he replied.

"And I like when people don't stare at my butt," I said, glaring at him.

"Okay, fine. So, something tells me that the Council are going to be a while deciding. Want to go get something to eat?"

"Sure, why not?" I said, swinging our joined hands. And walking straight into Erik.

**Okay so I just want to thank This-Is-Just-A-Dream for suggesting that the scene at the end of Tempted was Aphrodite's vision. I can't believe I didn't notice it before, it's so obvious!! I was kind of at a loss at the end of this chapter so I decided to throw Erik in for the hell of it XD**


	17. Chapter 17

**I don't think I'm making the chapters long enough, so maybe I'll work on them a bit more and upload a little less often? Please let me know what you think! Thanks xxxxxx**

**

* * *

**

_**Rephaim**_

It had been a few days since Rephaim had learned he could still fly. But what should he do? He could go to his father, where he wanted to be, or he could stay here and wait for Stevie Rae. He was amazed to admit that he actually didn't know what he should do. His father might need him, but if he really was his favourite, why didn't he come back for him? Stevie Rae made Rephaim feel like a human, something Rephaim had never felt before. She made him feel wanted, like he belonged, and somehow Rephaim knew that she would never lie to him.

But his faith for his father was still alive inside him, burning inside his chest and swelling up his heart.

"What should I do?" Rephaim said aloud. Then he knew. He knew who really liked him for who he was, who really appreciated him. Stevie Rae. He would fly to her. Then he would tell her his plan.

But he couldn't possibly fly that far. His wing still hurt, and he was not sure how long he would last. Rephaim looked at his healing ankle. He knew he could do it. If he had walked all the way here with a broken wing and a sprained ankle, he could surely fly back some of the way, and walk the rest? His ankle was now saife to walk on. Rephaim sighed. Stevie Rae would give him hell for this and he knew it. But he had to do it, because the Imprint told him that Stevie Rae was concerned about something. Her friends, maybe? The Marked One.

Rephaim's father always said that the Red One and the Marked One were close. So maybe that's what she was worried about. Something was happening, and Rephaim could give an educated guess that it concerned his father. Where the Marked One was, his father would be.

* * *

**Okay, so I know it's totally dumb saying that I was planning on making the chapters longer and then writing possibly the shortest chapter yet. But, Rephaim is hard to write about. Maybe it'll be easier when he's not on his own. But besides this one, I really do want the chapters to be longer. So please let me know what you think! x0x0x0x0x0x**


	18. Chapter 18

**OMG who saw the X-Factor on Saturday?!?! John and Edward were bloody hilarious!!**

**By the way, we got the cat on Saturday, and I don't actually hate him, though I thought I would. I mean, he's no dog (..obviously..) but he's alright. He did try to BITE ME .. But I made him pay for it :P:P. He's a big white one, and we called him Phineas. I would have preferred Maleficent, but since I LOVE Phineas and Ferb, I don't mind XD**

**

* * *

**

_**Zoey**_

I was shocked, to say the least. What did Erik think he was doing? Did he want to embarrass me _again_?

"What are you doing here, Erik?"

His blue eyes met mine calmly. My breath caught at the sight of him. Yes, I hated his guts right now - but I was only human (well, not technically, but you get my drift). For about the millionth time I was reminded of Superman - Erik's untidy-but-at-the-same-time-tidy mop of pitch black hair fell to almost his shoulders, which didn't surprise me. It had only been a couple of days since I last saw him, but when you were Marked you were bombarded with hair, hair, hair. Erik had been one of the very few guy fledglings who kept their hair short, but I guess that in the last few days when things had been pretty hectic, he hadn't had time to get a hair cut.

Stark, I suddenly realized, didn't have long _or _short hair. He was unique with his shaggy, sandy coloured hair. Come to think of it, he -

"Do I really need a reason to be here?" Erik asked coolly.

"Well, people don't usually just decide to hop on a plane and come to Italy, do they?"

Anger burned in Erik's eyes, but quickly disappeared as he brushed himself off. "Zoey, I-"

"Okay! Erik, could you pelase quit staring at my Marks - um, Mark."

"What happened, Z?" He sounded honestly curious.

I tensed, and Stark stepped forward. "What happened is none of your ugly business. Now get out of here before I get my bow and arrow and make you rue the day you ever laid eyes on Zoey."

I had to admit, for someone who had just come out of court, he was quick. He seemed to be getting more like himself every day.

"Wait, no, seriously," Erik said, putting up him hands, palms out towards Stark. Then he turned to me. "Zoey, Stevie Rae told me about Heath."

I didn't let him see my anger, but on the phone later Stevie Rae would certainly hear it. Why had she told _him_? It's not as if he'd care..

"I just want to tell you that I really am truly sorry. I know how much he meant to you."

Sure. It would have been a sweet thing to say. And, maybe, if there had been emotion in his eyes, or depth to his words, I would have believed him. But there was a slight mocking twist to his voice.

"Erik, please just leave me alone," I whispered, turning back.

"Wait!" His hand was on my shoulder, yanking me back. Then there was a yelp, and it didn't come from Stark.

I turned around to find Erik holding his face in his hands, blood dripping through his fingers. Stark was standing with his right fist extended, looking like he was as surprised as I was. Despite what had just happened, I ran to Erik. "Are you okay?" I asked, worried.

He howled. Literally.

"Wow." Stark said quietly.

"Why did you punch him?" I rounded on him.

"I don't know," he admitted, shame-faced. "Something just came over me, and then blood was all over his face."

I froze. "Do .. Do you think it was Neferet?"

Stark smiled sadly, and shook his head. "No, Zoey. I wish it was, but the truth is that punching Erik was 100% me."

My friends appeared behind me. I say appeared because there is simply no other word for it.

"Erik's here?" Jack asked, excited.

Aphrodite snorted. "I have to say, well done, Arrow Boy." I looked at Stark again, and he was still in that same position. Embarrassed, he stood up straight and cleared his throat.

"You stupid -! I can't believe you just -! You are _so_ going to pay for this," Erik removed his hands from his face to growl at Stark. I couldn't help but stare at his nose. A fountain of blood was still pouring out. His nose was reddened and would probably never even remotely resemble what it used to be. I would bet my life that it was broken. Somehow Stark had also managed to blacken Erik's left eye. How was that possible? It's not like Stark had ginormous hands, or Erik had a tiny face. And why was it already black?

In spite of himself, Stark sniggered. "What's there to laugh about? How could you-?" Erik spluttered.

"Oh, Erik, be quiet for a change. No one really cares why Stark did it, we're just happy that he did. And while you're - "

"Aphrodite, shut up. Erik obviously needs to go to the infirmary and see Erce. So you go get her and the rest of you help me bring him there." I interrupted. Aphrodite was flabbergasted. **(Sorry, I had to say that - me and my friends were messing and now whenever we hear this word we crack up :L So, anyway, on with the story..)** She flounced off and Darius followed her quickly.

"Sorry, Z," Stark murmered as he grabbed Erik's elbow and pulled him in the general direction of the infirmary.

"Are you okay, Erik? Stark hit you pretty hard. So how are things at the House of Night anyway? Is Dragon okay after Anastasia died?" Jack chattered away as we walked, no one really paying him any attention besides Damien.

Then, suddenly, Erik started making strange wheezing noises. "Is he okay?" Jack asked.

"Zoey," Damien said quietly. "Call spirit."

"But I don't know if I can. I haven't used the elements since I lost my Marks."

What if, when Nyx took my Marks, she took my affinities, too? I suddenly felt like bursting into tears. Why had she taken my Marks? It just wasn't fair.

"Try it, Z. It's the only way to find out." Shaunee said.

"You can do it. I believe in you." Stark said, his gaze trapping mine and making my heart miss a beat. I took a deep breath.

"Spirit, come to me." And it worked. It actually worked. Inside my body I felt a weight lift off my chest, and it felt good. Familiar. I breathed a sigh of relief. Then I remember why I had needed spirit in the first place. "Spirit, you comfort us in times of weakness. And right now, Erik is weak and needs your comfort. Go to him and stay with him." I felt it swirl around me, and then it must have gone to Erik because he relaxed a little and stopped wheezing.

"You did it, Z," Erin said.

"Yeah. You've still got it!" Shaunee added.

"Told you," Stark said, grinning.

Damien just beamed.

* * *

Aphrodite, Darius and Erce were waiting for us in the infirmary. Apparently they had taken a shortcut through the dorms. Darius and Stark helped Erik into the nearest bed.

"Let go of me," he snapped at Stark.

Erce walked over to Erik with that same, strange sense of power. "That looks nasty," she murmured.

"Well, you learn something new every day," Stark muttered to me. "Vamps can bleed."

I raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Really, Stark? You only learned that today?"

The humor in his eyes was replaced with grim understanding as he remembered that awful night when Kalona rose and he was told to make Stevie Rae bleed. "No, I guess not." His eyes were on his feet.

I felt bad and was about to say something comforting when Erik roared in agony. Erce had pushed his nose into the position it had once assumed. "Sorry," Erce muttered while Stark grinned from ear to ear.

* * *

When Erce left, Erik grumbled inaudibly whilst the rest of us looked around awkwardly. "Erik," I said eventually. "Will you please tell me why you're really here?"

His eyes bored into mine for a long moment. He opened his mouth, then closed it and looked away again. I sighed. "Guys, I think I need to talk to Erik." They mumbled replies and began to walk away. "Alone," I said to Stark who was still standing next to me.

"What? But I'm your Warrior. What if - ?"

"Nothing will happen that I won't be able to take care of myself." Jeesh, I hated it when guys assumed you couldn't be protected unless you were with them.

Stark walked away, upset. It was Erik's turn to grin. "Nice one, Z."

"Shut up. I know there's a good reason why you're here, and I want you to tell me _now_."

He was serious again. "I thought I could do this ... " he murmured, seemingly to himself. I waited until he finally sighed and looked at me. "Zoey ... You probably won't believe me ... but Nyx came to me, too."

"I believe you," I heard myself say.

"She told me to come to you."

"Why?" I shouldn't have believed him. But I did. I don't know why, but I did.

"This is harder for me to say than you're gonna think. She - she wants me to be your consort."

I nearly choked. "My consort?"

"She probably has a good reason for it. I'm not questioning her judgement. So, whenever you're ready ..."

"What? Now? No way. I saw how much blood came out of you. I can't take any more. I trust Nyx. And if she thinks this is the right thing, then it is. So you will be my consort. Just not yet."

* * *

**I really have to thank jmkbff. Without her, this chapter would not be the same! She sent me PMs with her ideas for Erik coming back, so I really do have to say thanks to her! She's AWESOME!!!!**


	19. Chapter 19

**_Erik_**

Once Zoey left, Erce came back. "Do you think you need to stay the night?" She asked wearily. Erik shook his head.

"Okay. Go to the building that's on your left when you leave. Upstairs are the dorms where your friends are staying. So you can either find an empty room or stay with one of the others."

Erik nodded. "Okay. Thanks."

When he was outside in the fresh air, he took a deep breath. "Did she believe you?" Kalona asked.

Erik glared at him. "Yeah."

He smiled. "Excellent. So you are Imprinted with her?"

"No."

The smile disappeared immediately. "What did you just say?"

"I said she and I are not Imprinted. Did I stutter?"

"Why?" The question was a hiss.

"Because your special little 'Warrior' punched me, if you haven't noticed, and she said she wouldn't take blood from me when I was so low on it already."

Kalona snorted. "So when will it happen?"

"I don't know, do I? Look, I don't even _want_ to do this."

"Really? I would have thought differently after what Neferet told me about -"

"Shut the hell up," Erik growled. "This isn't right. And what's more, you made me tell her that Nyx came to me."

"I didn't _make_ you do anything. You didn't have to. If I told you to jump off a cliff would you?"

"How high is the cliff?"

"Stupid teenager. Nowadays children are so irritating. They think they are so funny with their sarcasm and - "

"I'm not doing this anymore. I'm not pretending the Goddess came to me. It's unfaithful and deceiving."

"You will do it. Because your High Priestess, Neferet, is practically Nyx. And she will tell you herself."

Erik was about to protest, but Neferet was already standing beside Kalona. "Erik Night." she said.

"What do you want from me, Neferet?"

"I am Nyx Incarnate, Erik. Remember that. And I am telling you that you must be Zoey's consort."

"Happy now, child?" Kalona said. "Your precious goddess appeared to you and told you to become Zoey's consort. So go and do her bidding. Now."

Erik gave them both filthy looks before going to the dorms.

* * *

**Again, thanks to jmkbff. I'm not even sure anymore if this was also her idea, but it could have been, so thanks!**


	20. Chapter 20

**I'm supposed to be doing my homework so, naturally, I'm doing this..**

**_Stevie Rae_**

Rephaim was near. She could feel it. She growled. "Excuse me a miute," she said to Drew. He grunted in reply. Ugh. He was such a guy. Stevie Rae got up from the loveseat she was sitting on beside Drew and went outside into the cold night. "Rephaim," she hissed. "Where are you and why are you here?"

"Stevie Rae?" It sounded as if Rephaim wasn't sure as to whether or not it was her.

"Yeah, it's me. Now tell me what the hell you're doin' here."

"I - Well, I found out I was able to fly again."

"How wonderful. So why are you here?" Then she paused. "Wait ... when did you find out you could fly?"

"Earlier this morning."

"Huh. I felt that." Stevie Rae recalled the unrealistic, amazing feeling she had had earlier. Weird.

"Red One, I want to go to my father in Italy."

"What?! Are you crazy? I thought you were good now!"

"To be honest, I didn't know I was good until after I learned that I could fly. But I chose good, and now I want to go to him."

"You do realize that that makes absolutely no sense? You chose good, so naturally you want to go to the source of all evil."

"No, you misunderstand. I want to go because I am my father's favourite, so he will trust me with his secrets and plans. Then I will tell you what they are, and maybe they will help you in some way."

Stevie Rae thought about this for a while. "You know, you're smarter than you look."

Rephaim didn't reply. Stevie Rae contemplated whether she could _really_ trust him. She looked at him. He really was incredibly ugly. His scrawny bird legs had dry skin peeling off them, his feathers were ruffled and dirty and his eyes were red and beady. They were eyes you wouldn't trust at all. Unless you were Imprinted with him, and knew that he meant well. Stevie Rae sighed. As much as she hated to admit it, she trusted him.

"Alright. Go to Italy. But how are you going to contact me?"

Rephaim pondered for a few moments. "Let me try something."

Then he walked away, out of Stevie Rae's sight. A few minutes passed and she was just about to go and look for him when she heard his throaty voice in her head. _Can you hear me?_

_Yes _she thought back, focusing only on Rephaim and their Imprint.

A few seconds later Rephaim jumped out from behind a wall. "It works!" he cried.

"Well done!" Stevie Rae congratulated him. "Now, go to Italy and report back as soon as possible!"

Rephaim nodded and took off. Stevie Rae watched as he disappeared into the early morning light. Come to think of it, she had better get back to Drew before the sun came out. She was heading back inside when she heard another voice, this time not from Rephaim. "Stevie Rae?"

"Dallas?"

Dallas stepped out from behind a nearby wall. He didn't look happy, and instantly Stevie Rae's stomach dropped. He had seen Rephaim. He had seen her talking to a Raven Mocker. Well, that certainly wasn't good.

"Who were you talking to, Stevie Rae?" It was one of those annoying, pointless questions people ask when they already know the answer, like what teachers did.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because you were talking to a damn Raven Mocker, that's why!"

See? He wanted to know because he knew. Make much sense?

"Dallas .. It's not what it looks like, okay?"

"No, it's _not _okay. Stevie Rae, you're supposed to be our High Priestess. For the past few months you've been trying to convince us to choose good, and many of us have come close. What kind of an example are you setting, going around, talking to the closest people - or birds - with evil connections that you can find?"

"Honestly, Dallas. 'What kind of an example are you settin'?'," she mimicked. "You sound just like my mama lecturing me about my youngest brother." Suddenly Stevie Rae felt a pang of remorse. She missed her mother so so much. **(Has Stevie Rae called her mother at all? I mean, since she's not dead and all, you'd think she would ..?)**

"Stop trying to change the subject. The point is, you're talking to evil birdmen. Can you explain that?"

"Yes." She paused. Could she really? Could she tell Dallas that she was Imprinted with Rephaim? She didn't know. She trusted him, but when it came down to it.. "Dallas, I'm your High Priestess, as you already pointed out. So all I can say right know is to trust me. I know what I'm doin', even if it doesn't really look like it right now."

Dallas sighed. "So I'm guessing you want me to not tell anybody about this?"

"Yeah. For now, anyway."

They looked each other in the eyes for a long moment. In Stevie Rae's eyes, Dallas saw pleading and vulnerability. In his, Stevie Rae saw mistrust and love. Love? She knew he liked her and all, but did he really love her? And if he did, did that love outweigh the mistrust or not?

"Alright." Dallas eventually said gruffly. "But if I don't see this going anywhere, I'm telling the others."

"Thanks you so much!" Stevie Rae said, and ran over to him quickly, put her arms around his neck and kissed him hard.

* * *

**SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS!!! Just felt the need to say that there .. So who saw the X-Factor?? J&E were rubbish it was so unfair that Lucie went home! I thought she'd win! :(:(**


	21. Chapter 21

**Woo! I'm in such a Christmassy mood! In fact, RIGHT NOW I'm listening to Taylor Swift singing Silent Night, and I've just finished listening to her version of Last Christmas which is totally awesome. Again, I really have to thank Little Daphamir for PMing me, so I might as well take the chance to thank jmkbff again. You guys are so awesome, especially when I didn't even ask for ideas! I wonder how many responses I'd get if I _did_ ask for them, though.. Maybe we'll find out sometime XD**

**

* * *

**

_**Zoey**_

I lay in my extremely uncomfortable bed in the dorms, but I couldn't sleep. And no, it wasn't because of the lumpy mattress. It was because I was thinking about Erik. I had told him I would take his blood. And I wouldn't only be taking it once. I would be taking it whenever I needed it, which would probably be often. But the question was, _why_ had I agreed? I'd much rather that Stark would take my blood. Was that it? Maybe, subconciously, I was actually incredibly desperate to exchange blood with somebody, _anybody_. Could that really be why I agreed to Erik. I believed what he had told me about Nyx appearing to him. I frowned. I didn't get why I believed him.

A knock on the door made me jump. "Zoey?" Stark sounded worried.

"Come in," I called.

The door swung open and closed instantly. Then Stark was beside me. "Zoey, what did you talk about with Erik?"

I glared at him. "That's none of your business."

"Z, I'm serious. I know it's bothering you," he said sincerely.

I sighed. After all, he _was _my Warrior. I could trust him with anything, as he had pointed out more than once. "Nyx visited Erik," I began slowly, scared of his reaction. But I didn't need to be.

"While you were with him in the hospital?"

"No. He came here because of her visit."

"That's what he told you?"

"Yeah."

Stark looked at me like I was insane. Then the anger in his eyes was gone, and he looked like he was actaully considering my judgement. "Why do you believe him?" he asked gently, struggling to keep his voice under control.

"I ... I don't know," I admitted. "Usually I get a weird feeling in my stomach when something is wrong. It really helped with Neferet. So, I guess I believe him because I didn't get that feeling when he told me."

Stark nodded. "Okay. Then I believe you."

"Thanks." I smiled at him. "Anyway, Erik said that Nyx told him to be my new consort."

I watched Stark's face carefully. His face went red, then almost pruple. Then it went a definite blue before turning red again. He was outraged. "Your - your _consort_?!" He spluttered. "What the hell, Z?!"

"Stark." I said. When his eyes finally met mine, I continued. "I believe him. I don't know why, and I know I shouldn't, but I do."

He took a deep, calming breath. "Okay. Fine. He is your consort." He spoke in short, clipped sentences.

"No. Not yet. I wouldn't take it from him after he, you know, lost so much blood."

Stark smiled as if it was a long forgotten memory. "Yeah," he said, still smiling.

"Stark, come on. Stop being so immature. You've gotta apologize to Erik soon."

"Fine. For you, my lady." He grinned and raised my hand to kiss it.

"Yeah, thanks."

"Soo .. are you worried about Kalona appearing in your dreams or anything .. ?" He asked casually.

I laughed. "No, not particularly. Why, are you?"

"Kinda."

"Hmm."

"I'll take that as yes." Stark hopped into the bed beside me. "Ugh! This bed is seriously uncomfortable."

"Who are you, Goldilocks?" I grumbled, but he didn't hear me. He was already fast asleep and snoring, his head resting on my shoulder.

* * *

I was in a bed. A huge, king size bed. The covers were white silk, as was my nightgown. Nighgown? The only time I ever wore anything remotely like a nightgown was a few days ago, in the abbey. Nuns didn't believe in comfort. I climbed out of the gigantic bed and realized I was in a big bedroom, but it had nothing in it except for the bed (hence, I knew it was a bedroom). The only other thing in the room was a small window on the opposite side of the room. A small slit of sunlight shined through. That told me I should be asleep. It was obviously early in the day (or night). For some reason I was curious, and looked through the window. I was about a hundred stories high. Very far away, I could see big green fields and a river. In the distance were snow-capped mountains. Why were they snow-capped? I wondered.

_Finally_ it hit me. Kalona. Where was he? And if he was here, where was Stark? Wonderful. He was _so _getting it when I woke up. So how could I possibly escape from this dream? Hurl myself through the window? That would be a tight squeeze. I sighed. Of course, there was no door. What was he playing at? Sure, I was ready to kill him after what he did to Heath. But he of all people knew that I couldn't help but be attracted to him in my dreams.

"Alright. Where are you?" I called, turning away from the window.

"Right here." My breath caught in my mouth. That wasn't Kalona's voice; it was Heath's.

Sure enough, Heath sat on the bed. He smiled sadly.

"Heath? But - but, what - ?"

"Zo, I have to tell you something really important. Just in case you start to think Kalona is good and all."

"How could I ever think that? He killed you." My words dripped with hate.

Then I stopped. "Wait. How do I know you're Heath? Kalona has almost full control of my dreams. How do I know you're not him?"

"Because you should shut up and listen to what I'm saying."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Talk."

"Kalona killed me because he knew I would tell you what I heard them talking about. And they want you to go to them willingly. Everything he told you in your dreams was just a lie."

I nodded. "Okay. What else?"

Heath smiled. Then, suddenly, I was standing on the path near the clearing where Heath had been killed. Neferet and Kalona stood there, obviously arguing.

"It goes exactly as planned," Kalona said.

"I hate the subterfuge! I cannot bear that you pretend to be something you are not for her." Neferet retorted, her face red with anger (I didn't know vamps face's could turn red. I suppose it makes sense, though, if they can bleed..).

"You call it pretense. I call it another point of view," Kalona said calmly.

"Which is why you can lie to her and still seem to be telling the truth."

Kalona shrugged. "Zoey wants truth - so it is truth that I give her."

"Selectively." Neferet said.

"Of course. But do all mortals, vampyre, human, or fledgling, not select their own truths?"

"_Mortals_. You say that as if you are so far removed from us."

"I am immortal, which makes me different. Even from you, though your Tsi Sgili powers are transforming you into something that is close to immortal."

"Yes, but Zoey isn't anything close to immortal. I still believe we should kill her."

"You are a bloodthirsty creature," Kalona said, laughing. "What would you do, cut off her head and impale her as you did the other two who got in your way?"

My heart stopped beating. Neferet had killed Professor Nolan and Loren! And there were we, stupidly thinking it was the People of Faith. Kalona had said they had 'got in her way' .. So Professor Nolan knew what she was up to? For how long? And what had Loren done? Taken pity on me? I nearly laughed out loud. Sure he had. Not. He just probably told her a hair was out of place or something.

"Don't be ridiculous," Neferet was saying. "I wouldn't kill her the same way I did them. It would be too obvious. She could simply meet with an unfortunate accident when she visits Venice in the next day or so."

"No. We will not have to kill Zoey." Kalona sounded sure. "Soon she will come to me willingly; I've planted the seeds for that. All I need to do is wait for them to bloom, and then her powers, which are vast even though she is mortal, will be at my disposal."

"_Our_ disposal," Neferet corrected him.

One of Kalona's wings swept forward, stroking the side of Neferet's body and causing her to sway toward him. "Of course, my Queen," he murmered before kissing her.

Then, suddenly, Neferet pulled away from him. "No." She said. Then she continued with something like, "You can't make love to Zoey in her dreams, and then again with your eyes in front of everyone, and expect me to .."

But I didn't catch the rest. The image shimmered like water in a river when the wind blows, then disappeared, and I was back in the bedroom with Heath. Except this time there was a door.

"Thats what you heard?" I whispered. He nodded. "And that's why he killed you." This time it wasn't a question.

"Zo," Heath said, looking up. "There is a way out. What I have shown you is exactly what I saw and heard, and I know you'll do the right thing."

"Wait." Somehow, I knew the dream was almost over. "One more thing. Is Erik telling me the truth? Because I believe him, but something, like common sense, is telling me not to."

Heath barked a laugh. "Who do you think I am, Zoey? God? No, I don't know if what Erik told you is true or not. All I know is Kalona is up to no good. Remember that, Zo."

"Thanks, Heath."

"There's a way out," he said again, pointing to the door.

"Alright, alright, I get the hint." I opened the door and immediately woke up beside the still snoring Stark.

* * *

**This is probably my longest chapter yet. Woo! :L Hopefully, most chapters will be this long from now on .. yeah .. _hopefully_ ... lol.**

**I'm still a disclaimer, unfortunatley. I know I quoted a lot from Tempted, but I added in my own bits where possible, I just love that part where Heath hears Kalona and Neferet XD**

**So, you know what to do.. ^ ^**


	22. Chapter 22

**Thanks to everyone who's read this, but especially to the people who read AND reviewed! Can't wait for the X Factor ^ ^ ! I think Lloyd, Danyl or Jedward should win. (By the way, if Jedward wins, Simon said he'll leave the country. So all you British and NI people out there, get voting!!)**

**

* * *

**

_**Zoey**_

I whimpered. Literally. There was no other word for it. I whimpered like a spanked puppy, or like a six year old who just fell and grazed her knee.

"Zoey?" Stark had been soo passed out, but, being the totally awesome Warrior that he was, he was wide awak immediately. And I could tell he completely freaked when he saw a tear escape from my eye and run down my cheek. "Zoey! What's wrong?!" Hurriedly, he wiped the tear away, sat up and pulled me onto his lap, cradling me. He rocked me back and forth gently. My six year old analogy fit perfectly here.

"It wasn't Kalona," Stark was muttering, more to comfort himself than me, it seemed. "It couldn't have been Kalona. I was here all the time. It wasn't him, it wasn't . . . "

"Stark," I whispered for fear my voice would break. "It wasn't Kalona. It was Heath."

"Heath?" He sounded reassured. I nodded against his chest. Stark's breath, that had been increasing rapidly, slowly returned to normal. Suddenly and totally unexpectedly, he hugged me tight. "Zoey, I love you so, so much. You know that, right?"

I was completely taken aback. "Yeah." My voice was husky. I cleared my throat. "Yeah, I know. Thanks, Stark. I love you, too."

He laughed softly. "That's all I needed to hear." Then his lips were on mine.

His kiss surprised me. Just like all his other kisses did. Every single time he managed to make it so sweet, so gentle. It was like he was desperate to enjoy it, but wanted to make sure that I did, too. Of course I responded instantly. It just felt so natural. Hell, what was I turning into? I'd only known Stark a little over a week, yet I couldn't imagine my life without him. He was a part of me, and there was no denying that. Again, I was reminded of what I actually believed he was when I firt properly talked to him in the fieldhouse; my soulmate.

I don't know who pulled back first. It was at the same time, I guess. But when we did, Stark smiled his cocky, total Bad Boy smile. Then reality hit him. "Zoey. You said Heath was in your dream, not Kalona. Was it just a dream? Or ... Or did he tell you something?"

"Heath . . . ?" I had to think for a second. "Oh, yeah, Heath."

Stark smiled. "I know I'm totally hot. But if you could just take your eyes off my awesome body for just a moment and concentrate on the important stuff - not that my body isn't important, I assure you, it is - Well, it would be much appreciated."

"You are _such_ a guy." I muttered, rolling my eyes. "Okay, so the dream . . . It was weird. I was in a big bedroom with only a bed and a window in it. Then I got scared and thought Kalona would be there. But then Heath was instead, and he showed me why Kalona killed him." I gulped back the lump in my throat that came when I said the last sentence.

Stark was shocked. "That's why he - ?"

I nodded before he could finish. Stark swallowed loudly. "What did they say?"

"Everything Kalona told me in my dreams was a lie. They want me to come to them willingly. I guess, in some way, if that happens then I won't have free will anymore."

Stark nodded immediately. "You're right. What you have against Kalona is free will, and he nearly took that away from you."

"No he didn't!" I was apalled. I pulled back from where I was resting my head on his chest. "I wasn't going to go to him, Stark, I wasn't!"

Stark remained calm. "I know. You' weren't _planning _on it. But Zoey, that's part of the reason I stupidly walked away from you. I could see where you were going with it and, eventually, you would have gone to him. You wouldn't have known any better; you'd have been completely hypnotised."

I considered this while Stark pulled me back to his chest again. "You're right," I finally whispered, shocked at myself. "I . . . I would have gone to him. Then Aphrodite's vision would have come true."

Stark was rubbing reassuring circles into my back, but when I mentioned Aphrodite's vision his hand froze. "What vision?" he asked worriedly.

"You know," I said, turning to him, surprised. "The one where everyone dies because of me being with Kalona. Well, everyone _burns_ because of me being with him."

Stark relaxed and continued rubbing my back. "Oh, yeah, _that_ vision ..." he trailed off.

I frowned. Why had he acted so weird, so suspicious? He had known about that vision, I'd told him myself. And, in my opinion, it was a pretty big thing. For the past few days it had hung over me like smoke in a closed room. Had Stark actually forgotten about it until now?

I decided not to ask him right now. Maybe later. "Hey, what time is it?" I asked, yawning.

He yawned, too. "Hey, they say that if you really love someone and care about them, you yawn when they do."

"That's dumb," I told him. "If that was true, everyone would be yawning all the time."

Stark shrugged. "Okay. Ha! I _must_ love you, otherwise I wouldn't have let you win."

"Let me win? I wasn't aware it was a fight."

"It wasn't, but I'm a very determined person."

"Stubborn would be a better word," I muttered, laying back down on my pillow.

Stark laughed. "Fine, fine. See? There I go again ... Anyway, the time is fifty seven minutes past three exactly.

"Okay, thanks," I said, ignoring his comment about his love for me. "I'm going to sleep. Goodnight."

"Want me to stay?"

"Obviously. If you leave, you'll be burned by the sun."

"That's not the only reason, though, right?"

"R_iii_ght," I dragged out the word sarcastically.

Stark sighed. "Okay, okay, I get it. Goodnight, Z."

He paused, still sitting up. I was about to turn and ask him what was taking him so long when he finally said, "Z, I really do love you, you know."

It sounded nothing like Erik's 'G'Night. Love you' 's. It was strangely intimate and gentle. "You know I love you, too, Stark. We have a bond that goes far beyond friendship." I turned to face him.

"So why aren't you jumping into my arms?"

"Because, if you've forgotten, your chest is still healing. You have to go easy on yourself."

Stark smiled and lay down beside me, putting his arm around me. "Come on. I'll keep you safe." I happily snuggled in next to him.

The last thing I remembered before I fell asleep was Stark saying, "Z, I think it's your amazing self control that makes me want you even more."


	23. Chapter 23

**Ugh! I'm soooo sorry, I completely messed up the last chapter. And I'm sorry if there are any grammar and spelling mistakes in previous chapters, I think I'm gonna start reading them before I post them.. Yeah, probably a good idea.. So, I just read Chapter 22 and realised that I made Zoey tell Stark that Heath showed her why Kalona killed him, then I made Stark sort of immediately know what she was talking about when he obviously wouldn't, he can't read her mind or anything .. Yet .. *Suddenly has loads of thoughts for the story that will go away in about 4.6 seconds* .. **

**

* * *

**

_**Erik**_

What had he got himself into? Erik was close to tears as he stood out in the cold where Kalona had ordered him to be. Speaking of, Kalona was late .. again. But, back to the point. Why in the hell had Erik agreed to this?! He wasn't even sure himself. He still cared about Z. He realised that, yeah, he _had_ been a possessive jerk. But could Zoey really blame him? Come _on_. How would she feel if she walked in on him and, oh, Becca or someone? She wouldn't exactly be all understanding. But it was just too much to deal with. Heath was a pain in the backside, it was true and he wasn't afraid to admit it. Then, just as he was (barely) adjusting to that, Stark turns up. Then he's suddenly Z's _Warrior_. Now that just wasn't fair. And let's not forget Blake, who, though Erik hated to admit it, was even worse than Heath.

Heath. A stupid, feeble human. Possibly the most arrogant person Erik had ever come across. Erik did not feel anything for his death. At all. Period. But he knew how much he meant to Z so he _tried_ to care. Why? So Zoey would (maybe) like him again.

Then Blake. How he could act so casual and friendly towards Erik he could never even begin to understand. He knew full well what he was doing. Then to treat him as a child after Erik accidently walked in on them. Well, not really 'accidently'. Come on, he didn't expect to find his girlfriend like _that_.

Then Blake died, something Erik was actually thankful for. But then along came Stark. That was fine and all. When Erik was gone and he and Z weren't together. But that night, when Kalona rose along with Stark, he had the cheek to call for Zoey .. then when Erik and Z _were_ back together, Stark very conveniently decides to pledge himself to her. How wonderful.

"Sorry to interrupt your pondering, Erik," Kalona said. He was standing next to Erik and, honestly, those wings were starting to really freak him out. What was _up_ with them?!

"You're excused," Erik muttered angrily.

"How nice to hear it. So, have you talked to Zoey since you were in the hospital?"

Erik raised a dark eyebrow incredulously. "Uh, no. Um, believe it or not, she's actually asleep right now. So, no, I haven't really got a chance to talk to her."

Kalona didn't appreciate his hostility. "Hmm. With her Warrior, of course."

"What?"

"She's asleep, maybe. But she is with her Warrior, either way."

Erik felt a pang of jealously. That stupid boy .. Yeah, boy. He wasn't old enough to be a vampyre, red or blue. Then, reluctantly, Erik admitted to himself that, yes, Stark _was_ in fact old enough to be a vamp. He had known enough to pledge himself to Zoey, and you didn't learn about Warrior bonds until you were a sixth former. "How would you know he is with her?" Erik asked, struggling to keep his voice under control.

"Because I tried to get into her dreams. I want to convince her that I can choose good, just like her Warrior did." Kalona smiled with fake innocence. "But of course I couldn't, because she's with someone. I'm just guessing it's her Warrior. Maybe there's a new guy." The last part was added hopefully, and Kalona looked at Erik, obviously willing him to get jealous and find Zoey right away.

"Stay away from her dreams," Erik said quietly but menacingly.

Kalona looked surprised. "Why, I thought you were helping me to show Zoey the true path of Nyx."

"No. Your path is _not_ Nyx's, it's far from it. I'm helping you because I care about Zoey and want her to like me again. That's why."

"Pathetic mortal. It's your hormones. In another twenty years, maybe you'd help for the right reasons."

"No, there are no right reasons. I'm helping for all the wrong reasons, and I really do care about Zoey. It's just all these other guys . . . " Erik mumbled.

"Ah, yes. 'All these other guys'. You are feeling upset, and betrayed that Zoey does not give her love to only you, but to others too. I, too, was upset when she took my best warrior from me. I know how you feel." Kalona's wing stroked Erik, which was more than a little creepy.

"You don't know how I feel," Erik murmured, but Kalona was distracting him. It's not like he was attracted to him, no way. But Kalona had a certain power. He could make people believe him. But Erik was strong and fought against that. Was it enough?

"You will help me," Kalona whispered. "You will help me because you know it is right, and you will become Zoey's consort as soon as possible. You will do this because you love your Goddess, and because you know I have a connection with her and live to do her bidding."

"Yes," Erik murmured absently. Deep down, something told him that Kalona was wrong, that he was hypnotising him in some way. Physical connection? But that feeling was very, very deep down. Internally, the feeling fought weakly against Kalona's spell, but couldn't win. Erik gave in.

* * *

**_Zoey_**

"Zoey ..." Stark murmured sleepily, waking me up. I opened my eyes and found that my head was still resting (gingerly) on his shoulder. He wasn't talking in his sleep. He was telling me something.

"What?" I asked, my voice throaty and thick with sleep. Actually, it reminded me of the Raven Mockers. I coughed.

"There's someone knocking at the door."

As he said it, the knocking began again. I groaned. "Come in," I called. The door was opened immediately, and there stood Erik. When he saw Stark next to me, anger flashed through his eyes but passed just as quickly. Strangely, I was embarrassed, even though Erik had no reason at all to be jealous. As Aphrodite said, I outgrew him.

"What is it, Erik?" I asked, annoyed that he had woken me from my dream. It was a great dream, actually. I was back at the House of Night and Kalona had been defeated already. I was with Stark, Duchess and Nala in the field house, watching him practise archery and when he was finished we all went to the dorms to watch a movie with the Twins, Damien, Jack, Stevie Rae, Aphrodite, Darius and Heath (who was alive). I realised with a pang that I could never have a proper life with Stark. There would be evil to defeat no matter where we went or what we did. Why was my life so unfair?

"Zoey, I want you to take my blood now." Erik said quietly.

Stark let out a long, exasperated breath. "Did it really have to be now, at five o'clock?"

Erik shot him a hard look filled with nothing but pure hatred. "I wasn't talking to you, actually."

"Really? I'd never have guessed." Stark stretched and lay down again. "Bite him if you really have to, Z. I trust you."

Erik glared at him. I guess it was because Stark called me Z, a nickname Erik had given me. I remembered, with hot embarrassment, how excited Stevie Rae and I had been. We were so stupid. We had really matured in the last month.

I sighed. "Erik, why do I have to bite you now?"

"I want to do it now," he said determindly.

"Alright, fine." Clumsily, I climbed over Stark and sat on the side of the bed. Erik eagerly knelt before me, offering his arm. Stark sniggered. I gave him a Look, and he nodded knowingly, staying quiet.

I took a deep breath, and watched with both anticipation, excitement and worry as Erik extracted a Swiss army knife from his jacket pocket and slowly slit his arm. The smell hit me instantly. It teased me, begging me to come and taste it. I inhaled slowly, smiling. It was a sweet, salty scent. My mouth watered.

"Come on, Z," Erik said quietly. I realised that he had been studying my face the whole time. He raised his arm to mouth-level. My tongue darted out and licked tentatively. Erik moaned in pleasure. So did I. His blood tasted amazing. It was familiar, though .. Oh, yes. We had used it to mix with the wine the night Kalona rose. The blood created fireworks in my mouth, each one exploding and showing me something new. Then there was just me and Erik . . . me and Erik . . .

"Zoey! Stop!" The voice sounded familiar. Too familiar. It was beginning to annoy me that I couldn't place it to a face. Then there was something tugging at my shoulder, telling me to stop, stop it. It was a hand. It clenched tighter around my shoulder when I ignored it, causing me to break away from Erik to wince in pain as it touched my cut from the Raven Mocker that almost killed me.

Suddenly everything was back to normal. Erik's head rested on my knee, a smile on his face, eyes closed. I turned slowly, and it felt like a dream. Stark was looking worriedly at me. "Stark . . . " I said stupidly.

"Zoey, are you okay?"

I nodded.

Stark reached over to my mouth and wiped away the blood that was dripping down. His eyes never leaving mine, he licked it curiously. Immediately he spat it out, grimacing.

"Why did you taste it?" I asked, my intelligence slowly (and hopefully surely) coming back.

"Because you were sucking at him for ten forevers. Honestly, Z, it took _ages_ to get you to stop. I wanted to see why you kept going, but his blood is disgusting."

I frowned. "I like it."

"Good." Stark reached over and whacked Erik across the top of his head. "Wake up," he said loudly. Erik stirred, then sat up. "What? Where's Zoey?" His eyes found mine instantly.

Suddenly I had a bad feeling. A very bad feeling. Something wasn't right with Erik . . . but what? Oh, great. Just great. As if I needed something else on my mind.

His Oath allowing him to feel what I did, Stark looked at me questioningly. I just shook my head at him and mouthed, 'Later'.

Wonderful. Stark wouldn't let me forget this in a hurry, epecially when he had tried to warn me and everything. But he trusted me because Nyx hadn't giuded me otherwise. Why? Why hadn't she? Did it have something to do with my Marks being gone? Or was that something totally different?

Exasperated and totally worn out, I sighed. "Erik, please leave now. I really need my sleep."

Dreamlike, Erik sauntered out of the room, closing the door behind him. "Okay, Zoey. What's up?" Stark asked immediately.

Instead of telling him where to go, I sighed again; I seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Maybe I was actually getting old or something."I need to think about it first. I'll tell you when I have some idea as to what's going on."

Surprisingly, he didn't push me. "Okay. Goodnight."

* * *

**Sorry, don't actually have time to check over it!! I'll post it anyway, I love you guys that much ^ ^ xxxxxxxxxx**


	24. Chapter 24

**Thanks, guys! I hate Erik with a passion, and I hope in the real Burned this doesn't happen, but I need Kalona to be a bigger challenge for Zoey so Erik is the key :P And I actually can't update faster than I already am, so I might as well write long chapters :)**

**

* * *

**

_**Erik**_

Erik walked almost mechanically to where Kalona was waiting under a big oak tree. The sun had just set, and it was raining. As soon as he was underneath the shelter of the tree that was so big Erik guessed that three people couldn't put their arms around it and touch hands, Erik felt a sudden chill. Kalona's spell had worn off, and Erik couldn't remember what had happened. But he had a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach that he had never come across before. Kalona's smile was victorious.

"It worked, did it not?"

Erik looked at him stupidly. What had worked? "What do you mean?"

"I mean Zoey taking your blood, of course. Did it work?"

Suddenly it all came back. Erik walking into Zoey's room, Zoey taking his blood. She couldn't stop. Stark had to pull her away. He and Zoey were Imprinted. He didn't know how he knew that, but they were. That would definitely explain the weird feeling. He filled with anger. "You. You did this. I told you - I _told _you that I wouldn't do it! How _dare_ you! I will _kill _you, you no good - "

"Shut up and listen to me, child. Either way, you will do what I tell you. So you can keep your dignity and give in yourself, or you can do what you like. Of course, if that is the case, I will just make you do it. Would that be rather embarrassing for you, Erik?"

Erik's voice shook with anger and irritation. "You can't make me do anything."

Kalona smiled again, showing all of his flashing white teeth. "Oh, I think you will find that I can."

Erik was just about to tell him that his _mom _will find that he can when Kalona's smile vanished and he actually looked worried. He held up a hand, knowing that Erik would say something. "Quiet," he said softly, but his voice was filled with so much power that Erik actually took a step back.

In the time it took to blink, Kalona had a wing over Erik's mouth. Erik struggled and tried to spit on the ugly black wing, but it only made Kalona hold his mouth so tight he nearly cut off Erik's air supply. "We have company," Kalona whispered as if that would shut Erik up. But it only confused him. Since when was Kalona bothered by others?

There was a rustling in the oak tree, then Erik nearly choked. A Raven Mocker flew out. Kalona's wing disappeared. "Rephaim, my son!" he cried joyously.

"Father!" Rephaim smiled, but Erik noticed it lacked enthusiasm.

For some reason, Kalona felt the need to introduce Erik and Rephaim. "Erik, this is my first son, Rephaim."

"Yeah, we've met," Erik said coldly, telegraphing through his eyes the night Rephaim almost decapitated Zoey.

Rephaim understood immediately, and surprisingly looked ashamed. But he didn't say anything, and Erik knew why. Kalona had ordered him to attack Zoey, and he wasn't about to bring it up in a hurry.

"How nice," Kalona said, obviously meaning the opposite. "So, Rephaim, why are you here?"

"I am here to stand by your side, Father." Rephaim said, and it sounded like it had been practised before.

Kalona smiled, satisfied. "Erik, I don't need you anymore. You may leave."

"What?!" Erik spluttered. "But - but I'm already Imprinted with Zoey! Why didn't you say that, like, I dunno, two hours ago?!"

"What? You are Imprinted with her?" Kalona was suddenly interested.

Erik nodded, gritting his teeth. Kalona smiled deviously. "Well, now that I think of it, I do in fact still need you, Erik."

"No. You don't. Or else you do, and I don't care. You won't hurt Zoey, Kalona. She has a Warrior to look after her. Two, actually. Plus a load of friends with strong affinties. And if she wants, she has me, too."

Kalona laughed as if Erik was a stupid child who didn't know what he was talking about. "No, Erik. I already told you, you have no choice. You will help me, and that is that."

Erik knew he Kalona was right. And it killed him. Bubbling with red hot anger, he stalked off. And when he turned the corner, he walked straight into Know-It-All-I'm-So-Perfect Stark. He froze. Had Stark heard any of that? Had he heard all of it?

"Erik, I was just looking for you," Stark said, hostility practically evaporating from him and descending onto Erik. His tone wasn't suspicious, just filled with pure hatred. So maybe he didn't see anything.

"What do you want?" Everything was catching up on Erik now, and he pressed his fingers to his temple, closing his eyes.

"Erik . . . Are you Imprinted with Zoey or not?"

The question surprised Erik. He opened his eyes to see Stark looking meaningfully and worriedly at him. In some ways, Stark seemed so much younger than Erik . . . But, strangely, Erik wasn't saying that in a bad way. He just thought that Stark seemed more . . . innocent.

"You mean she hasn't figured it out yet?"

Stark shook his head. "No. She probably will when she wakes up, though. She's just too tired . . . Erik, I don't like it. And that's not just because I don't like you. She's been through too much, Erik. Do you have any idea as to how much your comment about Heath upset her?"

"What 'comment'? I was being consoling."

"No you weren't. You said it like you were trying to annoy her. I punched you, but I have to admit that I'd rather have killed you right there and then." Stark's voice wasn't threatening, and it didn't waver. He looked Erik straight in the eye, and Erik felt some sort of respect for him.

"You're really taking this Warrior thing seriously, aren't you?"

Stark nodded tightly. "Of course I am. I love Zoey, Erik, and I'm not about to let you upset her. I hate you because you hurt her in the past. I hate you because you hurt her today, and I hate you because you will more than likely hurt her in the future."

Erik smiled sadly. "I know I have hurt her. But I will try my best not to hurt her again."

Stark laughed softly. "Sorry, but I just can't believe you. Erik, I know that if you break the Imprint Zoey will be in terrible pain. So, I want to ask you . . . No, tell you . . . Just don't break it, okay?" Erik could see how much it pained him to say that. No boyfriend wants to ask his girlfriend's ex to keep a connection with her that encourages lust, love and sexual tendencies.

"I don't want to. As long as she doesn't break it."

Stark gave Erik a look that pretty much said that he was exactly what Stark was expecting. "I knew it," he murmured quietly. Then, loudly, he asked Erik, "Do you really care more for yourself than her happiness?"

Erik couldn't say anything. Stark was right, as much as he hated to admit it. He cared more about his internal well-being that Zoey's happiness.

"I'm going back to Zoey, Erik. Just in case that sick guy wants to get into her dreams. But, from what I can tell, he's not in her head right now. I guess all I wanted to say is Erik, please don't cause her any more unneccesary pain."

Erik swallowed, then nodded. "Okay, I'll try. Stark . . . Thanks for caring about her. Just . . . thanks. You're what she deserves."

"Just doing my job," Stark said quietly. "I really do love her, Erik, and I nearly lost her a few days ago. I don't want anything like that to happen again. As far as I'm concerned, I've failed her as a Warrior. She tried to convince me otherwise, but it's no use. I will keep protecting her, but I know deep down that I have failed her, and I will never, ever forgive myself. So Erik, I really am warning you now. Do. Not. Hurt. Her. I mean it."

Erik nodded again. "Take good care of her, Stark."

"Of course I will. The best I can, anyway."

And with that he walked away, back towards Zoey's room. So he didn't hear anything with Kalona. Well. That was good.

* * *

**_Stark_**

Stark wearily climbed up the stairs to Zoey's dorm room. His chest was hurting again, which was kind of unexpected. Stark paused to wheeze and clutch at his chest again. He silently thanked Zoey for saving him. He couldn't imagine the pain that would have been inflicted on him had she not used her affinities to stop the arrow. But if it had killed him, and Zoey lived, it would all have been worth it. As he had said to her before, if his sacrifice helped Z defeat the bad guys, then it was worth it.

Stark didn't know if he could make it all the way up the stairs. He had never felt this weak before. He was sure Neferet was draining energy from him. He needed blood, he realised. But there was no way he was going to tell Zoey that.

Suddenly Stark felt sheer fright, and he knew it wasn't coming from him. Zoey. And Kalona? Possibly. Stark's Warrior instincts and his love for Zoey kicked in immediately, and he sprinted up the rest of the stairs faster than Damien (who was quite fast). He burst open the door and found Zoey trembling, still asleep.

"Zoey! Wake up!" he practically roared. It was no use. He ran to her and shook her roughly. He was vaguely aware of the sharp, stabbing pain in his chest. "Zoey! Wake up! Zoey!!"

Stark went to the ensuite bathroom and grabbed the glass that was meant for holding toothbrushes. Still shouting at Zoey to wake up, he filled it with water and while the tap was still running he ran back to her and poured the freezing liquid over her face. It worked. She sat up, shivering.

"Stark?" Her teeth chattered.

"Sorry I had to do that. I couldn't get you to wake up." He spoke in clipped breaths, clutching at his chest and gasping.

"Don't worry about it." She shivered. Then Zoey saw what he was doing. "Stark! Are you okay?! What's wrong?"

He waved her away as she started towards him. "I'm fine. I just shouldn't have left you, that's all. Was it Kalona?" His breathing was still ragged, but was slowing down a little.

Zoey nodded. "Yeah. He was doing the same thing as last time - just trying to convince me he can choose good. I don't think he knows that I know about what happened just before he - well, you know." Stark nodded. He did know. Before he had killed Heath.

"I'm not listening to him. I'll die before I do that." Zoey spoke menacingly.

"Never say that again," Stark told her. His tone didn't have his usual cocky ring to it; he was deadly serious.

"Sorry," Zoey mumbled awkwardly.

Stark took a deep, shaky breath. "No, I'm sorry. I'm just on edge, that's all."

"Where were you gone, anyway?"

"I was talking with Erik." At the mention of Erik, Zoey went completely white as realization passed through her eyes. "Erik . . . " she murmured.

"Hey," Stark said gently, reaching for her hand, "Don't worry."

"Stark . . . I think we're Imprinted."

He nodded. "Erik said that, too. It's okay. That's what I was talking to him about. He promised to try not to hurt you again."

"Okay . . . It's just, I have this weird feeling . . . Like something's not quite right with Erik."

"You're just tired, that's all. This wasn't exactly a peaceful night for you, is it?"

Zoey shook her head. "Go to sleep, Z," Stark said, lying down beside her. "I've got you; you're okay. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

And Zoey went to sleep in the safety of her Warrior's arms.


	25. Chapter 25

**_Stevie Rae_**

Stevie Rae sat in the room she used to share with Zoey, waiting to hear Rephaim's voice in her head. He had assured her that Raven Mockers could fly faster than normal birds, and he would be in Italy in just a few hours. So why was she sitting in the room, almost twenty four hours later, waiting for him to tell her something? Even if he just told her he was in Italy she would really appreciate it.

_Are you there yet?_ she asked, managing to make her inner voice sound impatient and annoyed.

She waited. And waited. And waited. Half an hour passed.

_Yes._

Well, finally!

_You could have bothered to tell me._

No answer. Again.

_I was busy._

Stevie Rae was beginning to get very frustrated with this damn bird. Though she was glad she didn't kill him.

_Fine. Just tell me when Kalona tells you what he's up to._

For the first time, Rephaim responded immediately.

_Of course._

Stevie Rae sighed loudly. He really was driving her to insanity. What if, when he was around Kalona for a while, he began to trust him again? She decided it didn't bear thinking about. If that happened, she would feel it . . . wouldn't she? If that happened . . . what would she do? She would tell Zoey right away. She would apologize for not telling her before, and Zoey would forgive her as she did when Stevie Rae told her about the bad red fledglings. Or at least that's what Stevie Rae hoped. She shook her head, and commanded herself to stop thinking about it. So far, Rephaim was still good. Hopefully it would stay that way.

Stevie Rae's phone bleeped, telling her she had a new message. She flipped it up and saw that the message was from Nicole.

**Wer r u?**

Stevie Rae frowned. Nicole had tried to kill her. Why? Stevie Rae realized now more than ever that the bad red fledglings couldn't be saved. But she relished at the thought of killing them. Unlike Nicole, Starr and the others, she wasn't so cold blooded and heartless.

**Y do u want 2 know?**

Only a few seconds later, the reply came.

**Wer r u?**

Ugh. There really was no point in texting back. She was only encouraging Nicole, and probably getting herself into big, big trouble. So she wouldn't give Nicole the satisfaction. She wouldn't text back. The door opened.

"Stevie Rae?" Dallas seemed nervous, as if she had the power to rip his head off. Stevie Rae smiled sadly. She did.

"Ain't anyone ever told you to knock 'fore you enter a lady's room?"

"Stevie Rae, I'm really freaking out about that Raven Mocker thing."

"Well, don't be. It's all taken care of."

"Stevie Rae, please just tell me what it's all about. I need to know."

Stevie Rae gave him a hard glare. "No, you don't. So leave me alone, Dallas. I'll let you know if I actually need you to interfere in my life."

Looking really upset, Dallas left.

* * *

**_Zoey_**

When I woke up, Stark was gone. I looked around for him but he definitely wasn't there. I was starting to get really worried - what if he was with Kalona? - when the bathroom door opened and he emerged, drying his wet hair with a towel. He grinned at me.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty. Miss me much?"

My worry was gone immediately, and I settled on giving him a long, hard glare. "No."

Stark chuckled. "You know, you're in a much better mood when you're in touching distance of my awesome body. I think my looks are an antidote to your - "

"Shut _up_!" it came out sharper than I'd intended.

"Sorry," Stark muttered, looking uncomfortable.

I sighed. "No, I'm sorry. I'm just not in the mood for your joking. I mean, the Imprint between me and Erik and everything . . . It's just taken a toll on me, that's all."

Stark nodded. "I know exactly how you're feeling. No pun intended."

"See?" I was close to shouting now. "That's exactly what I'm talking about! I'm not in the mood, Stark! And it's_ really_ beginning to bug me how you continue physically eavesdropping when I specifically told you not to."

"Sorry Z. I should be more considerate, I know that. And I know it annoys you when I joke about having a good body - we all know that I don't." Actually, he did have a great body. And the jokes were only a little annoying . . . "But I really can't help the physically eavesdropping thing. Your emotions have been hitting me much harder these last few days."

"Really?" I was kinda-sorta surprised. My anger was forgotten.

"Really. I'm told it happens after a Warrior has been in his lady's service for a very long time, and if they are very close. But I've only been in your service for a couple of days, and Z, I've only known you for about two weeks."

It was almost three weeks, but I wasn't about to correct him. "It's because of what we've been through together," I said without thinking. I knew I was right. "We've gone through more than most Warriors and their ladies do in their whole lives. That's why you feel everyting I do so strongly."

"Hey, maybe in a couple of years we'll be like the Twins." Stark grinned.

I rolled my eyes.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" He asked happily as he finished drying his hair and put down the towel.

"Well. First I'm having a shower, because as you can probably tell I really need one. And no, I don't need you to wash my back, thanks," I added hastily as he opened his mouth. Smiling and shaking his head sadly, Stark said, "Suit yourself. You've missed out on a great opportunity, though."

"I'm sure I have," I replied sarcastically.

"Well, I think I'll take a walk if you're going to was yourself. Alone. I need to think about, well, things."

Now _that_ made me curious. "What things?" I asked.

"You know. Everything that's happened. And I need to think about how to convince the High Council that Kalona's evil. Maybe if I read _To Kill A Mockingbird _again I can find something . . . "

I rolled my eyes yet again. "Stark, in case you've forgotten, Atticus doesn't actually win the court case in _To Kill A Mockingbird_."

"Yeah, I do know that. I have read it five times. But there might be some clue, something vital in it that could actually help us, you know?"

"No. I don't know. Stark, this isn't just some Sherlock Holmes thing where everything is a big jigsaw that needs to be completed. It's real life."

"I know. I won't be long, my lady." Stark bent and kissed my hand. Only then did I realise that he wasn't serious at all. Wow, for someone so cocky and funny, he really was good at keeping a straight face.

"What? Oh, no, take your time." The last thing I needed was for Stark to think he couldn't leave my side. I needed some time alone, just like he did.

"I'll see you soon, my lady."

I quickly got into the shower, and kept it short. I, like every other teenager in the world, find it impossible to have a shower under thirty minutes long. So it really shocked me that I was able to be ready in twenty minutes, dressed and dried and everything. Desperate times call for desperate measures, I guess.

I needed Stark to be gone while I talked to Kalona. I knew he wouldn't let me go. It was pretty obvious I had to though, sooner or later. Aphrodite's visions blatantly said that either A-ya would win or I would. And the outcome was either saving the world, or ending it as we knew it.

***

I met Kalona exactly where he'd told me to in my dream the night before. The clearing where Heath had been killed. I gulped. I had to do this. It just might save the whole world from ending.

I walked slowly along the path. I shuddered at the memory of me running along it, trying to save Heath. The river where I had flung Kalona into (or so my friends told me) was totally brown and looked more like watery mud than muddy water.

As I arrived at the clearing, I saw Heath. His dead body lay face down, his head turned towards me. His eyes were open, staring and vacant, just like Damien said mine were. The electric blue that used to shine so bright was now replaced by a misty grey colour, reminding me that Heath's soul, what made him Heath, was no longer there. it was just his remains, his empty shell.

Still, I couldn't help the small cry that escaped my mouth. I ran to Heath and pulled his limp body onto my lap. I bawled, rocking him back and forth. Why had no one movied his body? Buried him? Sent the remains back to his parents? I would have, I just assumed it had already been done. With a start, I realized that no one had told Heath's parents, Nancy and Steve Luck, about their son's death. I would probably have to do that. How does one do that? How could you possibly tell someone that their child is dead? The answer was simple: you couldn't.

"Hello, A-ya," Kalona stepped out from behind a tree. I noticed he had called me A-ya, something he had not called me in a while. When I didn't respond but kept sobbing, he sighed and knelt beside me. "Ah, yes. Heath, wasn't it? Such a waste, his death. A-ya, you must believe me when I tell you I did not plan for this."

Staring into his eyes that showed nothing but sincerity, kindness and worry, I would have totally believed him. But, knowing what I did, knowing why he killed Heath . . . I couldn't. My voice shook with anger when I turned to him. "I'm not A-ya," I said with venom.

"But you were, and you do know it. You are the reincarnation of the woman who was created to love me."

"Yeah, the_ reincarnation_. As in not really her."

He smiled wickedly. "Your soul is hers. And it is drawn to me. You know it is, and my advice to you is to let it come. Come to me, my sweet A-ya, and we shall live together for eternity."

My brain said no, but my heart and soul said yes. And in an instant, Stark, Heath and Erik were forgotten. All I could think of was what could be, what might be. All I could think of was Kalona, me and Kalona.

My mouth opened, ready to say, "Hell no, I won't ever be with you." But the words stumbled and tripped over each other inside my mouth, and didn't bother getting back up again. All I knew how to say was, "Yes." And I did.

The word just hovered there for a moment, hanging between us and linking us. Linking us, possibly for eternity. Then Kalona smiled triumphantly. Possessively, he motioned for me to come to him. Though I was right beside him, I eagerly dropped Heath and moved closer to Kalona.

And that's when I knew it was over. I had let my mind wander, and in a stupid, spur of the moment decision I had let A-ya take over, and now belonged to Kalona for eternity. And what would be the outcome? Was this really Aphrodite's bad vision come true?

I willed myself to lean back from Kalona's cold but welcomed embrace. My soul recognized it, and I knew it. It rejoiced. Sharing a soul is not easy. In fact, it's incredibly annoying. But I had control of half of my soul. I don't know how I knew that, but I did. A-ya owned the other half of it, at least at the moment. Her half was much stronger than mine, as it had probably been resting, gaining strength for centuries.

I trembled as Kalona's black wing swept out and stroked the whole left side of my body. A-ya leaned into it, totally relaxed.

That's when I felt it. A sudden _thwap!_ in my soul, followed by a _thud!_ as Stark arrived, panting and clutching his chest.

It was the sound of an arrow being released and then hitting its target. Stark had reached his target: me.

"Zoey!" His cry was heartbroken. He must have been able to sense, through our bond, what had happened.

"Stark!" I called. I felt A-ya start to quickly take control and shouted, "Help me, Stark! A-ya has half of my soul! She's - "

"Leave." The voice that next came from my mouth was cold, harsh and beautiful.

I saw Stark freeze. "Zoey." His voice cracked and he took a hesitant step towards me.

"Leave now. Zoey will soon be gone," A-ya said.

The Warrior in Stark burst through the lover boy. "How dare you," he snarled, stalking towards Kalona. "I will kill you. So help me, I will kill you, Kalona." He spat out his name as if it was a filthy, worthless piece of trash.

Kalona's laugh echoed through the clearing, hitting off the trees and bouncing back to us. "As you wish, Stark."

His laugh made A-ya relax. Somehow I knew that the more relaxed she was, the longer it would take for her be able to take control again. So I waited until she was completely at ease. I didn't have to wait long. She still owned half of my soul, but for the time being I was in control.

"Stark," I said, relieved my voice was once again my own. So was he. "Stark, I can fix this. It's what Aphrodite saw, remember? So that means it was inevitable. I can still save everyone." I sounded much more sure than I was.

Stark's expression was pained. If he hadn't believed he had failed me as a Warrior before (which he did) he definitely did now. And I hated myself for it. "I shouldn't have left you alone." He came to stand beside me. I noticed he was much paler, as pale as he had been when he died, and then he looked transparent. It must have been from the shock. His hand fumbled for mine. It was surprisingly warm for a hand so pale. "You look like Boo Radley." I tried to lighten the moment with my reference from one of his favourite books, but it didn't work.

"Zoey," he said. "I love you. I love you more that anything or anyone in the whole world. I walked away from you before, and I was given a second chance. I'm not about to mess up again. I'll stick by your side no matter what."

I nearly cried again. My heart leaped at the sight of his obvious pain, and it wasn't from his chest. I reached up and cupped his cheek with my free hand. My movements were starting to become more exaggerated, taking more effort, and I knew A-ya was nearly in control again. I realized Kalona had remained quiet all this time, but didn't spare him a glance.

"Stark, I love you too. You know that. And I will always love you no matter what. Hell, I even loved you when you kept calling yourself a monster."

He leaned his face into my hand and closed his eyes. Before long there were silent tears rapidly streaming down his face.

* * *

**Thanks for all your reviews. I took so long because this was kind of hard to write, and I think now the rest about Zoey will be hard, too. Just to clear something up from the reviews, I'm pretty sure that Zoey and Erik can be Imprinted, because Zoey took his blood. I don't think it matters that he didn't take hers, because Heath never took Zoey's and Rephaim never took Stevie Rae's. I think Loren DID take Zoey's blood, though . . . Can't really remember, I didn't find Betrayed and Chosen as interesting as the others. A bit of this chapter, such as the description of Heath and a few other things are based on personal experience (not that I ever had a consort who was killed, not yet, but in the past I've had bad experiences with looking at the dead body of someone I love). **

**Anyway, on that highly depressing note, hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Okay, so some people weren't too happy with the last chapter there . . . So, sorry if you don't like it, I don't know if that will really happen in Burned, but my interpretation from Aphrodite's visions were that either way A-ya would come out in Zoey, and Zoey can either give in or fight and win. So sorry! But this is how I'm writing it, and I actually had an idea for how her Marks could come back, but it kinda clashes with this so maybe later! OMG! Actually I just got another **IDEA** while typing that. Awesome XDXD**

**Thanks for reviewing, I also hate Kalona so I'm hardly going to let Zoey like him! I'm diehard ZoeyXStark! Rock on Team Stark X0X0X**

**

* * *

**

_**Stark**_

Stark cried silently, his face turned into Zoey's palm. He cried for about five minutes, then Zoey's hand was whipped away. The coldness was back in her eyes, and her face was so twisted she looked nothing like Zoey. It made Stark cry even more. He had failed Zoey as a Warrior. He had believed that before, but now he believed it more than ever. A good Warrior would never have let Zoey go to Kalona. A good Warrior wouldn't have gone to warn her ex boyfriend to stay away from her instead of making sure Kalona stayed out of her dreams. Despite himself, Stark almost laughed at his stupidity. What was more important? Erik annoying Zoey, or Kalona killing her?

Well, he wasn't positive that Kalona was going to kill her. But A-ya said that Zoey will soon be gone . . . and Zoey said that A-ya had half of her soul . . . So that must mean that A-ya would eventually possess full control of Zoey's soul, making Zoey disappear.

What had Zoey said to Stark a few days ago, just before he Changed? She said that eventually the good in him would be blotted out by the evil, or something like that. She said that she wasn't going to stick around to see that happen. She had said that to push Stark over the edge, to make him finally make his choice.

Now what should he do? If Zoey was going to be blotted out by A-ya, was he going to stick around to see that happen? No, he wasn't. Because he was going to do something about it.

"Zoey," he said, his voice breaking. "When I was dying you got Damien to come by sending him a message through air. Do you think you can still do that?"

A-ya just glared at him, her hazel eyes blazing with anger. But, very, very deep down, Stark saw confusion. Zoey was trying to communicate with him.

"I mean, can you try calling Damien? I know it's a long shot, and you've only used spirit since, well, you know . . . But spirit is the main one, Z. You're the only ever vamp or fledgling to have an affinity for all five elements. So try using air to contact Damien, he might know what to do."

Understanding shone for a mere second in her eyes, but then A-ya was on her guard. All signs of Zoey were gone. But after a few minutes, triumph quickly shone again, bigger and brighter. That's when Stark knew what was happening. Zoey's strong emotions showed more clearly than the not so strong ones, and they could have the power to break through A-ya's shield of lust and hatred.

Or maybe it was just Stark and the Warrior bond. Maybe he only noticed the stronger ones because he felt them more than the weaker ones. Stark didn't know, and at the moment he didn't actually care.

"Zoey?! What's wrong?!" Damien burst into the clearing, his face alight with worry. His eyes widened as he saw Zoey, or A-ya, then he looked at Stark, who was crying again. "What happened to her?" His voice was low with anger. He looked frightened when Stark started bawling loudly. He knew that if Stark was this upset, it was bad.

"It's A-ya. She has half of Zoey's soul. I'm the worst Warrior in the history of Warriors, I hate myself, I - "

"Stark. Stop." Damien spoke in the calm voice of a trained teacher who was dealing with a child having a tantrum. "Explain what happened. Slowly, and clearly."

Stark opened his mouth, but Damien suddenly put up a hand, indicating for him to be quiet. "Oh," he said after a while. Then his knees gave way and he had to sit down.

Stark didn't help him. His own legs had already given up on him and he was sitting on the ground, rocking himself back and forth like a psychopath.

Then Kalona finally spoke. He had adopted Stark's usual sarcastic tone. "Yes. Now that you children realize how serious this is, you will know that Zoey is on my side now. The good side, Nyx's side. Of course you can come back anytime, Stark, and Damien, you are most welcome."

Stark completely ignored him. He was staring at Zoey, his bottom lip trembling. Damien was the one who reacted to Kalona's taunts.

"We will never be on your side, Kalona. We are already on Nyx's side, thank you very much. And so is Zoey, and we are going to get her back as soon as we can. So leave us alone."

Kalona shrugged. "As you wish. Come along, my A-ya."

A-ya eagerly trotted after him, causing Stark to let out a howl of agony. But then Zoey's emotions hit him, and he adopted them quickly. They were calm, collected, reassured and safe. Stark knew Zoey was feeling at peace in the hope that he would, too. And he loved her so, so much for it.

Damien put his arm on Stark's shoulder and Stark turned, surprised. He hadn't noticed Damien get up. "Come on, Stark," he said softly. "We have to get back to the others. We have to let them know what's happened, and think of a plan."

Stark's legs shook as he stood, grasping Damien's arm for support. Then, surprising Damien with his strength, he let go and led the way back to the dorms. He cried loudly, practically roaring, all the way.

* * *

**Sorry, this chapter is kind of short compared to the last few I wrote (Chapter 25 was the longest chapter yet XD nearly 3000 words! And Chapter 24 had 2,222 words XD That's so awesome).**


	27. Chapter 27

**_Zoey_**

A-ya was really getting on my nerves. Now I actually knew how Stark felt when I took blood from Heath that time in the cafeteria, or when I bit Erik. Whenever Kalona stroked my cheek or, if he used his humongous wing, my whole body, she totally swooned. It was seriously annoying because I felt _everything_that she did. And she felt a hell of a lot of things for Kalona. I suddenly missed my grandma so, so much. I wished I had never been Marked, that I was in her warm, cosy sitting room eating too buttery popcorn watching old cowboy movies with her. I wished I was complaining about the step loser and how annoying my mom was.

That's probably exactly what I was doing this time last year. Did I think that in a year's time I'd instead be complaining about a reincarnation of a girl made of earth to trap a fallen immortal angel possessing half my soul and then me feeling everything she did for said fallen immortal angel? Em, no, not really.

What made is so very much worse was Stark. When I saw him crying like that . . . I mean, admittedly I don't know him that well, but to me that seemed completely out of character for him. Here he was, this big, tough, macho warrior guy who completely forgot about that and bawled his eyes out for me. What a compliment.

I felt so, so bad seeing Stark break down like that. It really was awful. When A-ya followed Kalona like that, there had been nothing I could do. And honestly, I was thinking of Stark more than myself. So I tried my best to feel at peace. To do that, I thought of the happy times I had shared with Stark . . . not that there were many. I thought of his attitude towards life, of how he acted that first day I saw him in the cafeteria. I thought of when he told me his secrets in the field house, how he had instantly trusted me with them. How he had made me believe in soul mates and, for a brief moment, I considered the possibility that he was mine.

On top of that, I though of my childhood. The happy part, when my mom was still a totally awesome mom, when there was no John in her life. When I had been on speaking terms with my sister who had recently become detached and stuck up. When my brother Kevin couldn't talk yet and was still cute. And I though of how my childhood basically evolved around Heath.

That led to the recollection of many happy moments with Heath. He really had had a big impact in my life. I thought of how he was going to be a firefighter **(Americans say 'firefighters', don't they..?) **or a cop when he grew up, but it made me sad to think of what could have been but never would be, so I thought about when Erik had been an awesome boyfriend, and how Loren made me feel so important before I realised it was all an act.

And that was enough, I hoped, to soothe Stark.

"A-ya, my love, come to me and we shall show the High Council how the infallible Zoey has now realised my true self, Erebus." Kalona said. And of course A-ya trotted after him. Well, talk about throwing a dog a bone.

I could convince them I wasn't me. If A-ya calmed down enough. And since I had already played that card, she was more on guard now, so that probably wouldn't be possible. How could I do this?

We walked (hand in hand, eew) to the building where the High Council were still debating over who to believe, me or Kalona. Kalona just walked in as if he owned the whole place. The High Council glared at him at first, but when they saw me beside him their expressions changed to shock and disbelief. There were a few gasps. Kalona smirked at me.

"Excuse me, High Council, but as you can see there is no need for this meeting to continue any further. Zoey has finally come to her senses and realised that I am Erebus."

A few members of the Council looked satisfied and looked like they wanted to go get some rest, but a few still looked distrusting. "Let Zoey speak," Duantia said.

A-ya opened her/my mouth and the doors burst open again. "NO!" Erik shouted.

Duantia raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"That's not Zoey!" Erik shouted. "It's someone else, it's like a different person in her body."

"Please, child, do not shout. We are right next to you and our hearing is not impaired in the slightest."

"It's not her," Erik said.

"And why would you assume that?" It was Kalona who asked the question.

Erik gave him a hard, stony glare. "Because you made me Imprint with Zoey, so I felt exactly what happened. She isn't herself. Well," he looked at me like I was a paradoxial puzzle. "I think she _is_ in there somewhere . . . But so is someone else." His big, frightened blue eyes locked with mine, searching but also accusing.

A-ya was not backing down at all, so I couldn't say anything to defend myself. To this day, I am just so, so grateful that Erik insisted on me biting him that night. If he hadn't been Imprinted with me, and had never come rushing in, who knows what would have eventually happened? Maybe Nyx had actually been the one who convinced me to bite him. I sure as hell had no intention of doing it at five in the morning. Evening. Whatever.

Kalona was smiling, then laughing. And A-ya relaxed again. Jeesh, if all it took was Kalona laughing for her to let go, then all I had to do was get Kalona to laugh more. Easy peasy Japenesy. Not.

A-ya was totally, completely at ease. I started to tell the High Council what was really happening when Kalona spoke again.

"And would you care to explain how that is possible, Erik?" he asked, looking at the High Council as if Erik was an amusing child and he expected them to laugh at him, too.

"Why don't you?" I asked abruptly.

Kalona stared at me in shock. But he quickly covered it up. "Excuse me, Zoey? Or A-ya, as I prefer to call you."

"Please don't." I turned to the High Council. "I think I know what happened. As you know, when Heath was killed," I glanced at Kalona, "I kind of was, too."

The High Council were silent, so I continued. "I think that, when my spirit returned to my body, A-ya was already after taking its place. So she started to take control of _my_ soul instead, and now she's succeeded. I can only speak when she's like, really relaxed."

I turned to Erik. He was still staring at me, looking totally upset. "Thanks, Erik," I said quietly. "If you hadn't come in just there . . . I don't know what could have happened."

But then Erik turned away from me, towards the High Council. I followed his gaze, and realized that they were staring at me in disbelief. "You think I'm lying." It wasn't a question. It was a statement. A fact.

"I am truly sorry, Zoey, but how is that believable? If you really do believe Erebus, or Kalona, tell us now."

A-ya was back. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. "Yes. He is right." she said. Come on. Couldn't the Council tell her voice was totally different from mine? It wasn't as cold as when she spoke to Stark, but it definitely wasn't mine.

Only Duantia and one other member of the Council whose name I'd forgotten looked thrown. I'll bet the rest only wanted to believe so they could finally make a decision.

"See? Her voice is different!" Erik sounded satisfied, and for a moment I felt sorry for him. He sounded like a little kid who truly believed that the world was right, everyone was fair and honest and would see the truth. He reminded me of Jem from _To Kill A Mockingbird_, actually. Which reminded me of Stark. And, suddenly, I got the strangest feeling. Anguish, sadness, hollowness, pain, love . . . . they weren't coming from me. Stark? Was that really it? Could I actually sense Stark's emotions from the whole Warrior thing? Was that even possible? I mean, Warriors needed it so they could protect their High Priestess. Why would I ever need it? Oh, no. Was Nyx letting me taste his emotions because she knew it might be needed in the future? Ugh. Pressure, anyone?

Then I felt it like a stab in the back. Total, sheer pain rushing through my body. Except, again, it wasn't mine. It was his.

And my love for him won out over A-ya's sick power when he really needed my help. When he really needed _anyone's_ help. "Stark!" I cried as I ran out of the room and let the Oath lead me to Aphrodite's dorm.

* * *

**Wow, okay, 200 reviews XDXD This is totally awesome! Btw, anyone see New Moon? It's EPIC!! I dunno what Team I'm on now . . . I used to be die-hard Team Edward, but now I'm leaning towards Team Switzerland . . .**


	28. Chapter 28

**Wow this is really amazing! When I put up chapter 27, there were 200 reviews. The next day there were 253!!!!!! Wow you guys RAWWK!!**

**

* * *

**

_**Damien**_

Stark led the way to the dorms, but when we reached the door he stopped suddenly. "What is it?" I asked nervously, preparing myself for something horrible Stark's Warrior Bond let him feel from Zoey.

"I . . . I can't," he whispered. I was really worried about Stark. From what I knew of him (which wasn't a lot, but anyway . . . ) this was completely out of character. He really was the high school stereotype of the tall, hot, muscley guy that all the girls loved (and the gay guys, who still had high hopes that one day he would change teams . . . hmm . . . ). So, as I was saying, this was totally _not_ him.

"Stark, what can't you do?"

"I - I can't go in there. I can't tell them. I can't - I can't - !"

"Yes, you can. Come on."

But Stark still didn't follow me.

"No," he whispered again. "No. Zoey needs me. She - " he turned away and started walking back in the direction from which we had just come.

"Stark!" I said again, grabbing his arm and twisting him around to face me. His face was pained and his eyes were tortured, glistening and threatening to let tears fall again. He didn't say anything.

"Stark," I said, more firmly this time. "Do you know what you're doing? As in, do you have a plan to help Zoey yet?"

A tear finally fell, encouraging many more to do the same. He shook his head, looking down in shame and defeat.

"Well then you _have _to come and tell the others what you know. They might think of something."

I could see he was torn between what he hoped would work and what he knew might actually work. Wistfully, he glanced back at the direction of Zoey, then his common sense kicked in. He took a deep, shaky breath and took a hesitant step towards the dorms.

"Come on," I said softly. He looked at me with trust and hope, reminding me of a toddler's faith in their parents. He really was not at all like the Stark who had strode into the cafeteria a couple of weeks before, standing up to the vamps and defending his dog in a cocky, assertive way. Who the hell was he now?

We went to Aphrodite's room for the simple reason that everyone else was in there. "What's going on?" I asked. Instead of moving straight to Jack's side like I would have liked to, I stayed by Stark, feeling he needed the moral support. Jack came to me.

"We're thinking of how to win this case," he told me.

I was about to ask him what the hell he was talking about. The morning's events had really pushed the whole Kalona/High Council thing right to the back of my mind. But Darius suddenly moved from him seemingly permanent place at Aphrodite's side to me and Stark.

"Stark? There is something wrong. Where is Zoey?"

I looked worriedly at Stark. His eyes were bloodshot, indicating he had been crying behind me on the way up here. He opened his mouth, and it looked like a lever for more tears to fall. "Just tell them," I said softly. "Tell them what you know."

The Twins and Aphrodite came closer. "Don't crowd him," I said quietly but they all heard and, worried for Zoey, they all backed away until only me and Darius were still next to Stark.

"I - I don't really know," Stark started. "I felt something. Then I found Zoey in the clearing and she was acting all weird. Then she was herself again and said that A-ya had taken half of her soul and she can't always be in control." His voice broke on Zoey's name.

No one spoke. I guess they were just so shocked that A-ya was actually _able_to do that. I mean, Zoey was so strong, so powerful . . . She's only been Marked a few months, and she was already the High Priestess of Tulsa! Well, for now, anyway.

"What can we do?" Jack eventually asked, tears in his eyes.

"Well, we were hoping you guys could help us come up woth something," I smiled shyly. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Stark let his face drop into his hands, as if he was punishing himself for _allowing_ himself to hope.

"We will think of something," Darius said, sounding extremely sure.

Suddenly Stark roared in agony and dropped to his knees, clutching his Mark (yes, it _did_ in fact remind me of _Harry Potter_, one of my all-time favourite series ever). Once again, everyone crowded around him. Blindly, Stark tried to stand but fell again. I grabbed his arm to support him, and Darius did the same. Stark reached out aimlessly and his hand found my arm. Satisfied with something to cling on to, his breathing became more even. Not very even, but a little more.

"Stark? What has happened?" Darius asked, and for one his voice was not calm and collected.

"Is it Zoey?," Jack asked no one in particular, but Darius answered immediately.

"No. His Mark has virtually nothing to do with his Warrior Bond. Something is wrong with him, not Zoey."

The sense of relief that came with Zoey's safety (well, as safe as she could be right now) was quickly washed away when I realized my worry for Stark.

He moaned and fell into Darius, who pulled him back up again instead of comforting him like I would have thought would be better. But Darius was a warrior, and he knew best.

The Twins were clutching each others arms nervously. Jack had gone to sit back on the bed and Aphrodite was leaning on Darius's shoulder. Quietly and calmly, Darius said, "Give him space to breathe. This is not good for him." Everyone moved back again, but I stayed where I was. Darius looked at me. "Damien, I think it may be best if you leave him some air, too."

I nodded and gently released Stark's grasp on my bicep. I stood back and put my arm around Jack who thanked me by doing the same. He took a deep, shaky breath. I guess he was still digesting the news about Zoey.

"Stark, I want you to open your eyes," Darius was saying. Stark obediently, well, obeyed.

"Good. Now take a deep breath and do not shout any more."

Stark complied.

"Now tell us what is wrong."

Stark blinked. "I - Neferet. She - "

"Stark!" I could distinctly hear someone running up the stairs. The voice sounded strangely like Zoey's.

Stark's head snapped up as if he had been completely zoned out. "Zoey," he whispered almost inaudibly. Then he somehow found the power to get to his feet and call loudly, "Zoey!"

Zoey ran in to the room and straight into Stark. They were both crying and he held her tightly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and cried into his shirt.

"What happened?" Stark asked. His voice was low and filled with anger. "What did he do to you?"

Zoey shook her head into his chest. "He - nothing. You were hurt." She stepped out of his arms to cup his face in her hand. "What happened to _you_?"

"Nothing happened to me, Zoey," Stark said and quickly gave Darius a meaningful look. Obviously he didn't want to upset her, worry her.

"Something happened." Zoey was determined. "Tell me what happened, Stark, or so help me I'll - "

"Zoey!" Stark said suddenly. "A-ya - she's not controlling you." Well, you couldn't blame him for being a little slow.

"No one was _controlling_me," Zoey said, making Stark smile. I hadn't seen him look so happy since . . . the night before. Had that all really happened in such a short time?

"Tell me what happened," Zoey insisted.

Stark sighed a long-suffering sigh. "Fine. Neferet, okay? That's what happened. She did something, I don't know what. My Mark hurt, and I don't really know what happened after that. Then you came."

"Stark, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For going to Kalona. But I really think that this has to happen. I just need to figure out what I'm going to say to him to save the world and all." She looked at us for the first time since she entered the room. "Please, guys, could you all really think? I mean really, _really _think. It has to be logical. What do I need to say to Kalona to make him go away?"

Great. So she was putting the pressure back on us. I loved Z and all, but sometimes being friends with an extremely powerful and gifted fledgling who was already a High Priestess was kind of exhausting.

* * *

**Okay, sorry for the short chapter and for not updating in a while .. I'm just so irritated right now (well . . that's putting it mildly) because I completely forgot this great plot I had as to why Zoey's Marks were gone and all. So now I have to think up a whole new plot .. Wonderful.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Okay I know I haven't been updating much, but I really need to take more time to work on my ideas because I really do think I'm going too fast with this. Plus, I really should be studying for Christmas tests and whatnot. I only have, like, 2 weeks... Okay, I've successfully depressed myself. So I just want to mention that jmkbff has written a version of Burned that is really worth checking out. So has Nyx's chosen one, and she's also going to write a sequel XD I'm sure loads of other reviewers have written their own versions too, but I agreed that I'd mention jmkbff's and I just finished Nyx's chosen one's so I figured I might as well throw it in for the craic XP**

**

* * *

**

_**Zoey**_

As I calmed down and realized Stark was perfectly safe (well, maybe not _perfectly_, but close enough), A-ya started to regain control. Wonderful. Taking a deep breath, I stepped away from Stark, knowing what would happen to him if I didn't. He looked upset at first and looked at me questioningly but then understanding brightened his big brown eyes and he smiled nervously.

"Zoey?" Damien asked tentatively, having seen A-ya before.

"What's happening?" Aphrodite asked, pushing past the Twins and little Jack.

"Step back," Damien warned as if I was the Hulk or something.

"Z? You okay?" Shaunee sounded worried. Erin remained silent.

"Don't worry, Zoey," Stark said quietly. "We know it's not you. We know you're in there somewhere."

I was about to thank him for his understanding, but that was when A-ya was back. For some really puzzling reason, she didn't say anything to my friends, but sprinted out of the dorm and back to where Kalona, Erik and the High Council were. Just as Kalona knew she would.

***

"Ah, A-ya, you have returned!" Kalona said joyously. I tried my best to glare at him but A-ya just wasn't letting that happen. Erik moved closer to me, instantly setting off the receptors and extra hormones that come with an Imprint. And unfortunately, I had experienced those feelings way too many times for it to be confirmed as healthy.

I looked at the High Council, who looked back at me worriedly. "Sorry," A-ya said in an astonishing voice that sounded almost exactly like mine. "I don't know what happened back there, but I'm sure it won't happen again. I understand now that Erebus is himself and is right. I am embarrassed of how I acted before and would like very much for you to cancel the whole case."

Kalona looked smug. He obviously knew it was A-ya speaking, not me. Erik gave me a funny look and the High Council looked convinced. They actually looked convinced. I guess I couldn't blame them, though.

"Well, now that that's all settled, we shall be leaving. Erik, you can go run off and play with your little friends now." Kalona put a disgusting black wing around me and guided me out of the room.

I trembled as he walked me to the dorms. I guessed we were going to his room.

***

**_Damien_**

As soon as Zoey/A-ya left, Stark broke down. He sat on the floor and cried very loudly. We all looked at each other awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Darius told us all to leave as he was probably the only one who could get through to him at the moment. So we all walked out.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Jack asked, upset.

"Sure he will. He's a big warrior guy. He knows nothing will happen to Zoey 'cause Kalona won't want to hurt A-ya's spirit." Erin said reassuringly, putting her arm around his shoulders.

"If he's anything like _my_ big warrior guy, he'll be fine. And hot." Aphrodite said and none of us took any notice of her.

"He really is very sensitive," I heard myself say. The Twins just started laughing at me (as usual) and Aphrodite snorted.

"Only you could say something like that at such an inappropriate time," Shaunee said eventually.

"Yeah - what was that word he told us, Twin? It was something to do with inappropriate times."

"Facetious," Shaunee replied.

"Yeah, that's it!"

I sighed. They really didn't listen to me. Although they remembered the word, which was a start.

"I am not being facetious. Facetious is saying something funny or trying to be funny at an inappropriate time. It's not meant to be taken seriously or literally. Therefore I was not in the _least_ bit facetious."

That only made the Twins laugh harder. Aphrodite snorted again. Jack put his hand in mine and squeezed it. "I know what you mean," he said. "And you're right, he is sensitive."

I smiled gratefully at him.

"So, what do we do, now that we've accomplished that Stark is sensitive and Damien is not facetious?" Aphrodite said.

"Well, we probably should be thinking up ways to help Zoey, I guess." Erin said.

"I totally agree with you, Twin."

"Damien? Jack?" Erik said, running up behind us. He was out of breath and looked upset.

"What happened? Is it Zoey?"

Erik nodded. "She came back and completely agreed with Kalona. She's gone off with him somewhere now."

"No, she wouldn't have done that. It was A-ya," I said, assuming Erik already knew about her.

But Erik was shaking his head quickly and between gasps of air said, "No. It was Zoey. It was her voice."

We all looked at each other and Jack started to cry.

"We have to tell Darius and Stark," Aphrodite said, turning and running back to her room.

"No!" I shouted and although she ignored me, I caught up with her fast. "You can't," I said, grabbing her shoulders to stop her; she didn't like that at all.

"Shut up, gay boy. You can't tell me what to do."

"Aphrodite, _STOP IT_. You _can't_ tell them because we don't know what could happen to Stark if he hears more bad news. He's pretty tough, but as I said, he _is_ sensitive, and he's heard enough for one day. The kid could go spiraling into a coma for all we know, and what help would he be then? I'll tell him later, or else Darius will, when he's calmed down a bit more."

She gave me a long, hard glare before sighing loudly in defeat and, slumping her shoulders, she turned back.

* * *

**Ugh! Sorry about the *** and stuff not being in the CENTRE where they SHOULD BE, Fan-fiction is being dumb and won't let me move them. Whenever I save it, it just goes straight back. **

**I should probably mention right about now that I am still unfortunately disclaiming to have written the HoN series. Happy now? XD**

**ALSO, we're having a school disco on Friday and a group of us are dressing up as HoN vamps with the crescent moon thingy and all. It'll be awesome XDXDXDXD**


	30. Chapter 30

**_Zoey_**

Kalona led the way to his bedroom. He paused before opening the door and grinned wickedly. Then he lifted me/A-ya up into his arms and sat on the edge of the bad, cradling me - well, us. It would have been kind of sweet if, you know, he wasn't evil and planning to burn my friends to death and all.

Thankfully, there was an angry, impatient knock at the door before it was busted open by none other than Neferet. She didn't look so thrilled to see what was supposedly me on Kalona's lap, his thumb gently caressing my cheekbone. She looked about ready to explode.

"Hello, Neferet," Kalona said, completely at ease, as if he was welcoming a friend to a dinner party.

"Hello," she replied ever-so politely, smiling. She looked at me. "Zoey, we need to talk."

Uh oh. I was totally in for it.

"Please, call her A-ya," Kalona said. She met his gaze coolly. "Zoey Redbird, a fledgling strongly gifted by Nyx, is in that body somewhere and we both know it. So tell your precious A-ya to butt the hell out and let us talk."

Maybe it was her tone, maybe it was her reference to Nyx. I don't know what did it, but Kalona was taken aback. "A-ya, do what she says," he said quietly, wearily. I felt A-ya reluctantly backing down. Interesting. So A-ya did whatever Kalona told her to do. That was definitely going to be stored in my brain for future reference. Once I had enough control to move, I leaped out of Kalona's arms and instinctively ran towards Neferet. We walked outside and into the clearing (really, I was going to need some serious therapy revolving around this damn clearing) where Heath had died.

Neferet took a deep breath before turning to face me. "Zoey, I am thoroughly sorry." What? Had I heard her right?

"I left the good path, the right path, and instead took the dark, wrong one. I followed Kalona not because I believed him, but because he has the power to hypnotize people. He had me hypnotized to the extent where I actually truly believed he was Erebus come to earth and I was Nyx Incarnate. Zoey, I killed Professor Nolan and Loren under his orders because they both . . . got in the way."

"But, wait. Professor Nolan and, um, Loren were killed before Kalona rose." Neferet nodded. "I was weak. He came to me in dreams and such." She shuddered at the memories.

I stayed silent, wondering how Professor Nolan and Loren had been 'in the way'. Had they tried to stop Neferet from helping Kalona rise?

"Zoey, to be blunt about it, I both want and need your help. Please, Zoey." Staring into her pleading eyes, I remember the old Neferet who I thought of as a mother figure. I was reminded of how much I had looked up to her, how much I had needed her . . . and how she, my mentor, now needed me. I didn't totally forgive Neferet - it was her fault Stevie Rae and Stark had nearly lost their humanity, Grandma was in an accident, I was sharing a soul with a girl made especially to love an immortal fallen angel and, oh, yeah, a bunch of teenagers were currently trying to save the world. Now that was quite a menu. I mean, come on, I'm not a saint. But Neferet was just like Stevie Rae and Stark. She wanted to finally choose good, and needed my help to do just that.

"I'll help you," I agreed.

Neferet's worried expression broke into one of pure happiness. "Thank you so, so much Zoey," she said, hugging me tightly.

"Zoey?"

"Damien?" I spun around.

"Zoey, listen to us. You're choosing wrong. Neferet is evil. She wants to - "

"Damien, wait. I'm not choosing wrong, Neferet is choosing right."

Damien studied me for a long moment before, being the totally awesome friend that he is, he grinned, despite the circumstances.

Then he, the Twins and Jack hugged me even tighter than Neferet had. Aphrodite sighed loudly. "Whenever you're all ready, nerd herd."

Then I heard a voice I would be able to distinguish just about anywhere, anytime. "Zoey!" My name was filled with pain and, when it reached me, so was I.

Stark ran straight to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing me hard, forcefully, on the lips. "Zoey, come back. Please, Zoey, come on, come back," he sobbed.

"I'm here," I whispered.

Damien put a hand on his shoulder. "How did you know?"

"I heard you guys talking about it."

"Well, I'm sorry you did because it's not true."

"You're - you're sure? It's not true?"

Damien shook his head, smiling. "It's not true."

I didn't have time to ask _what_ wasn't true, because Stark was kissing me again. I kissed him back (enthusiastically).

For once, my friends didn't bother whooping and wolf whistling. When we stopped kissing at last, breathless, our foreheads pressed together, Stark said, "I'm sorry, Zoey."

"Don't be," I breathed.

Then I turned to Neferet. "Neferet, were you hurting Stark?" I asked abruptly.

She looked ashamed. "Yes. I'm sorry, Stark. As I told Zoey earlier, I was under the influence of Kalona . . . "

"How do we know you still aren't?" Damien asked. "How do we know you're now just saying this so we'll trust you?"

"I _am _saying it so you'll trust me. I have chosen the right path now, Damien."

He turned to me. "Has she?"

I had no weird feeling in my stomach. "Yeah," I said. "She is."

"And what about you?" Stark asked. "Is A-ya gone?"

I sighed. "No."

I watched as my friends' faces fell. "Wait," Neferet said. "I have an idea."

We all looked at her expectantly.

"Bear with me, I don't know if it will work or not, it's just a feeling I have."

"Go on," I said.

"Well, when you take blood from someone, you receive energy, strength and, most importantly, spirit. If you took blood from someone - "

"She would receive all of this, giving her the strength and energy to defeat A-ya and spirit, which is what binds us and Nyx," Damien finished excitedly.

I was just starting to get it now. "And spirit is what I lost when I died for a while," I said.

My friends looked at me as if I'd just said, "My cousin is a meerkat of strange angles."

"I think, anyway . . . "

"What do you mean?" Stark asked, sounding totally Warrior-like and protective.

"I think that when my spirit came back, not all of it did, leaving a space for A-ya. That's why it didn't happen when I believed Kalona before."

"That makes sense," Aphrodite said.

"So you need blood," Erin said slowly.

I nodded.

"And who better to take it from than . . . " Shaunee said, gesturing to Stark. "Your Warrior?"

I felt my face redden. He wouldn't take _my_ blood. Why should I take his? I'd show him. I could be really stubborn when I wanted to, I -

Stark had taken and arrow from the bag on his back and slit his forearm with the tip before shoving it under my nose. The heavenly scent travelled up my nose and swirled around in my head. My mouth opened and I latched on.

His blood tasted so, so good. Better than anyone else's, including Heath's. I only stopped when I felt Neferet's hand on my shoulder. I guess Stark had so much strength that some passed on to me and I was able to stop, unlike when Stark had to pry me off Erik.

I wiped my mouth and glared at Stark. "Thanks a lot," I muttered.

"What did I do?"

"You knew I wouldn't be able to resist when it was right under my nose. You know, I thought about doing that when you wouldn't take mine, but because I'm a nice person and considered your feelings afterwards, I didn't."

Stark grinned. "Yeah, but it was totally worth it."

I continued to glare, quite menacingly, if I do say so myself. Then a big, black bird flew in circles around our heads before landing beside me and saying, "Zoey, I have something to tell you."

I recognized him. He was Rephaim.

* * *

**Sorry for taking so long, I was working on my other fanfic. The disco was AWESOME! We have pics, I'll upload them soon XDXD**


	31. Chapter 31

**Sorry! I know I haven't updated in AGES and I can't even say it's because I was working on a big chapter because I wasn't! I had to cram like hell for Christmas tests. So I'm so so sorry. Good news is I'm on my Christmas holidays now so I'll try and update whenever I can because on the 30th we're going to Lanzarote for two weeks. I'll make sure to write loads while I'm gone though! And I want to thank you guys, you're the best! **

**

* * *

**

**Zoey**

"Get out of here or I will kill you." Stark's voice was low and filled with anger. Rephaim started to hiss, but then shook himself and stopped, turning to me. "Please, Zoey, I need to speak with you."

I looked into his eyes, searching for any indication as to whether or not the whole thing was a set up. All I found was genuine sincerity, and stepped forward to hear what he had to say when I felt something weird behind me. I turned, and everything seemed to go in slow motion. You know, like an adrenaline rush when everything happens quickly but you take in every little detail.

First, I saw Stark's angry expression change to one of pure horror, as did the rest of my friends'. Even Neferet looked upset, worried.

Then I realized that Stark was holding his bow, and had been aiming at me. Me? Why would he want to hit me? He was my Warrior! He was supposed to protect me!

That was when I conveniently remembered that it didn't matter what he was physically aiming at, but what he was mentally aiming at. The arrow missed me by no more than an inch, and went straight through Rephaim's chest.

Rephaim shrieked in agony as he fell to his scrawny knees, his disgusting human hands scrambling at the arrow sticking out of his chest, not in the centre like Stevie Rae's had been, but through his heart.

We all stood there in stunned silence until another scream echoed from up in a nearby tree. Then Stevie Rae fell out, also clawing at her chest.

"Stevie Rae!" I shouted, running to her. "Are you okay?"

"The arrow," she gasped. "Take it out."

I looked at Aphrodite, who was standing closest to Rephaim, and she quickly yanked it out.

Stevie Rae let out a breath of relief, then roared.

"What? What is it?" Damien said calmly.

She pointed shakily to Rephaim. "He . . . He's dead," she whispered. "I felt it."

There was, of course, an angry outburst from my friends.

"You _felt _it?" Shaunee yelled.

Stevie Rae nodded.

"What the hell, Stevie Rae? How could you even - ? I mean, what were you - ? Ugh!" Erin spat out.

"I really do hate to agree with die Dorkamese Twins, but that is just plain sick. Was being Imprinted with me really so bad?" Aphrodite added.

I knelt by Stevie Rae with Jack and Damien.

"Don't listen to them, Stevie Rae," Jack said cheerfully.

Damien and I exchanged a glance.

"Yeah," I said. "I mean, I'm sure you have a perfectly good reason to be Imprinted with a Raven Mocker."

She shot me a quick, pleading look before standing slowly and, leaning on Damien for support, walked towards Rephaim's body.

"He's dead," she whispered again.

"Good riddance," Darius said. I had completely forgotten he was even there. Stevie Rae looked at him incredulously.

"Priestess, when we came to help Zoey banish Kalona, I shot at a few of the Raven Mockers. I hoped he was one of the ones I killed."

"He nearly was," Stevie Rae replied icily. "Until I saved him."

We were all totally shocked.

"Didn't see that one coming," Stark muttered. We ignored him.

"What, and then you _Imprinted_ with him?" Aphrodite sneered.

"Yeah, after _he_ saved _my _life. The bad red fledglings tried to kill me. You're right, Z, they're not becomin' good anytime soon. I know what I need to do now."

I forced a smile. "About time," I muttered. Then I turned to Darius and Stark. "But you shouldn't have shot Rephaim," I told Stark.

He was totally taken aback. "What? But, Z, he was a _Raven Mocker_."

"The one who was closest to Kalona," Neferet added.

"He had changed." I was confident. "He changed because of Stevie Rae."

"How do you know, Priestess?" Darius didn't doubt me, I guess because I was right about Stark.

"Because I didn't get a bad vibe from Nyx."

I hadn't considered the other alternative. Damien had.

"No offense, Z, but your Marks are gone. What if - ?"

"My Marks are not gone," I snapped. "The outline is still there. If that means Nyx has left me, I guess that means she's left you too."

Damien smiled ay my rebuttle. "You're right," was all he said.

"Zoey," Neferet said suddenly. "I almost forgot. Did it work? Getting rid of A-ya, I mean."

I'd forgotten too. I frowned, searching for any hint of Kalona's lover in my soul. I started to smile when I found nothing, but then I felt her. She had obediantly made herself tiny way at the back of my sould. But she was totally, undeniably there. I sighed. "No. I took Stark's blood for nothing."

"For nothing?" He was clearly upset that it hadn't worked, but he was smirking. I rolled my eyes at him.

"I need to speak to my Grandma," I said. "She'll know what to do."

It was then that I realized I hadn't spoken to her in forever.

Neferet nodded. "Your grandmother is a wise woman. And - and tell her I'm sorry for ... before."

I looked around, hoping someone had a phone with them. Stark extracted his from his pocket and handed it to me, finally putting down his bow and arrows.

I dialled the number, and my grandma picked up on the first ring. "Hello?" Her voice was husky.

"Grandma? It's me."

"Oh, Zoey! I haven't heard from you in ages and I was scared to ring you in case you were doing something serious about Kalona."

"Thanks, and I'm sorry for not calling you. A lot of things have happened."

"Oh, Zoeybird, you have too many things on your mind. Tell me what has happened."

"Well ... The case didn't go that well and I got mad at my friends and said some horrible things to Stark. He got mad and Heath went looking for him. But when I went looking for Heath, I saw Kalona kill him because he overheard him and Neferet talking about using me." I paused, letting her take this in.

Silence.

"What was that, dear?"

"Kalona killed Heath." My voice trembled.

More silence.

Stark came over and put his arm around my waist as silent tears made their was down my face. Eventually my grandma spoke. "That's terrible. Do his parents know?"

"No."

"Zoeybird ... Do you want me to tell them?"

"No. I can do that."

"Okay. I'm so, so sorry Zoey. I know how much he meant to you..."

"I know."

"Is there more to the story?"

I wanted to ask for her advice about defeating A-ya. But I just couldn't. Heath was at her house practically the whole time, whenever I was. She was almost as close to him as she was to me. I didn't want to upset her even more. She was an old woman, this was enough to take in."

"No. Grandma, I'll call you later, okay? You can call me whenever you want."

"Okay. Thank you for letting me know, Zoey. I have been talking to Lenobia and she is very confident in you."

"That's good," I said, not in the mood to ask questions. Telling Grandma about Heath had just brought everything back. A new wave of grief washed over me.

"I miss you, Zoeybird."

"I miss you too, Grandma. I'll talk to you soon. Bye."

"Bye, my dear."

I pressed the hang up button and buried my head in Stark's chest, crying and crying and crying. Damien and Stevie Rae came over to rub soothing circles into my back. No one else moved. Stark held me tight and whispered in my ear that it would be okay. None of my friends knew how much this really meant to me. I thanked the Goddess, God and whoever else I could pray to that I had such great friends.

* * *

**I didn't want to kill Rephaim, but I didn't have anything else so hey these things happen. I spent about two hours getting this up. TWICE it completely disappeared for no apparent reason it's not like I accidently hit a button that stupidly made it disappear or anything.. Anyway, I knew you'd been waiting wayyy too long, and I love you so much that I continued anyway. Only because my parents are out and my cousins are here so no one was hovering around saying 'Get off the computer. Get off the computer' every five minutes. However, my cousins are fun so see ya! Hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'll try to update again tomorrow.**

**Hugs!! x0x0x0x**

**~Total Obsessive Bookworm.**


	32. Chapter 32

**_Zoey_**

Of course my freedom didn't last much longer. Soon enough Kalona came looking for A-ya. I suppose he had finally come around after the shock of Neferet not worshipping him like she always did. As he approached us, my friends all reacted instantly. Stark grabbed my wrist and pulled me behind him. Damien, Jack and the Twins stood to either side of him. Darius pushed Aphrodite back to them like Stark had to me. Stevie Rae stood by Darius instead of with the others, but when I looked at her questioningly she grinned. I shuddered. She knew what she was doing. No one looked at Neferet, but we smiled at her when she took a deep breath and stood on the other side of Darius.

"Neferet?" Kalona sneered. "What are you playing at?"

"You know that Zoey has the strength and willpower to defeat A-ya. You know it. So leave her be." Neferet snarled.

Kalona threw his head back and laughed out loud. "Oh, Neferet, you never fail to amuse me."

She didn't respond. Stark walked up to Stevie Rae and stood beside her. "Leave," he said. He didn't shout. He spoke quietly, but there was venom to his voice that echoed throughout the clearing. Stark meant business.

Kalona looked down at him, amused. "Or what?"

Stark extracted his bow from the bag on his shoulder and aimed.

Kalona laughed again. "I really gave you more credit than that, James. I thought you had brains, or something like it, anyway. But I suppose I'll have to literally spell it out for you." Kalona sighed dramatically. "You cannot kill me if you hit me with an arrow. You can think to kill, but it won't work. It's _logic_, James. I am immortal. You cannot kill me."

"Won't stop me trying."

"Shoot all you like. It won't work."

"I have other ideas besides shooting."

For a split second, Kalona looked bemused - worried, even. But he quickly covered it up and smirked. "What are those ideas, James?"

Stark snorted. "As if I'd tell you. I might be dumb as you pointed out, but I'm not _that_ dumb." He wasn't dumb at all, in fact. He was actually very intelligent. I mean, the boy reads, for crying out loud. And he actually admits it.

"Nevertheless, I want my A-ya back." Kalona said.

"Nevertheless, I want to keep _my _Zoey." Stark said, his tone slightly mocking.

Kalona's jaw flexed. "A-ya, come to me."

Great. Just great. I could actually feel A-ya inside me, growing and happy. She was throwing it in my face, that now _she_was in control and there was nothing I could do about it. So, mechanically, I walked to Kalona. A-ya danced inside me.

Kalona threw Stark a pitying look before saying, "Come, A-ya, we have things to plan. Oh, and by the way, I might be interested later in why you killed my son. But it can wait; I don't really care too much."

I caught one glimpse of Stark's face before A-ya followed him. He looked like a totally different person. His face was pained, not angry. Just pained. And his eyes. They looked sad, and old. Very old and tired. Then A-ya ran after Kalona like a sick little puppy.

* * *

"Now, A-ya," Kalona was saying, "What will our first move be?"

To be honest, I wasn't really listening. I found that I could plan ahead while she was in control. She did everything, said everything. My thoughts were just a sad echo in the back of her mind.

"We should burn them. Burn them all up," she said eagerly.

What were they talking about? I started to listen intently.

Kalona laughed. "Yes, my A-ya, we should burn the humans all up."

"And the vampyres," she added, obviously to please Kalona.

"And the vampyres," he repeated, smiling. "The question is, when do we do it? And how?"

"Now," she said. "We will just burn them. There's no two ways about it."

"You are correct, of course. But I mean _how?_ How can we just burn them without them suspecting us?"

"Use the affinity the Marked One has for fire," A-ya said simply, sounding like she had thought this was obvious.

"The Marked One Without the Marks, as I prefer to call her now," Kalona smiled. "It could work. If you are able to use them. Try it now."

Obediently, A-ya rose and said, "Fire, come."

Nothing happened, and I rejoiced inside.

But then A-ya dug deep inside; the prat knew what she was doing. She kept on digging down and eventually found something. Fire came.

Kalona laughed and clapped his hands together. "How wonderful!"

A-ya swelled with pride. It was horrible - I could feel it too. I instantly felt sorry for Stark, having to feel like this all the time. The worst part was that I actually really, really loved Kalona. Because A-ya did.

"Now, A-ya, I was thinking, why not hypnotise some of Zoey's friends?"

A-ya's pride wavered and fell. "What?"

"If we hypnotise her friends, just the ones we need, we could secure our chances of winning."

"Which friends?"

"Well, the one with the affinity for fire, obviously. And the one with the affinity for air. Fire needs are to survive. It would be no harm to hypnotise the two Red vampyres, either. And maybe the other warrior."

A-ya thought about this before deciding there was no possibility Kalona would go after Shaunee or Stevie Rae. "Alright," she said reluctantly.

My heart sank. Shaunee, Damien, Stevie Rae, Stark and Darius were going to unwillingly kill the whole world. Well, so was I, but I felt really bad for my friends.

Kalona left to 'make arrangements' and I felt A-ya let her guard down. It was my time to shine - Kalona could be back at any minute. It was now or never. I quickly decided to jump up, and because A-ya was weak and unprepared, my body jerked up. A-ya's anger boiled inside me, but I ran for it. I ran to the bedroom I was staying in. Quickly, I debated in my head whether I should go warn my friends or ring my grandma. I decided on ringing my grandma. If my friends were going to be hypnotised, there was nothing they could do about it, but if I rang my grandma she might have a suggestion.

I grabbed my phone and hit the first number on speed dial.

"Zoeybird?" she sounded surprised to be hearing from me so soon.

"Grandma," I said quickly, "I'm sorry I never told you earlier, but A-ya is in me and able to control my body and speech when she has enough strength."

"Okay."

I hurriedly told her about the conversation between Kalona and A-ya.

"Any advice?"

"It seems to me that you will need your friend Erin to help you; you both have affinities for water."

"But that can't work, can it? We can't just say, 'Water, make all these people stop burning'. We need to defeat Kalona."

"When his Native American tribe was being forced off its land in 1854, Chief Seattle is meant to have said to the US government, 'The rivers are our brothers. They quench our thirst. They carry our canoes and feed our children. You must give to the rivers the kindness you would give to any brother.' "

"So you think the key is water?"

"Rivers, Zoeybird. And water, yes. Water is important, Zoey. Our bodies are one third water. Life itself supposedly started in water. That is what many scientists believe. It would certainly explain the salty taste of our tears, blood and sweat, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I guess. But how can we do this, Grandma?"

"You will figure it out, Zoey. I believe that water is the solution. It will quench the flames."

"Yeah, but how will it help us defeat _Kalona_?!"

"I do not know, Zoey. You are a High Priestess. You will figure it out," she said again.

I took a deep breath. There was a knock at my door. "A-ya?" It was Kalona. Thankfully, I had locked the door.

"A-ya, come out now." His voice was gentle, playful.

I moaned. "Grandma... I have to go. Thanks for your help."

"No problem, Zoeybird. I believe in you. Do your best, it is all you can do."

"Thanks," I said again. "I love you Grandma," I said as I hung up, and turned to face the door and what was behind it - Kalona and possibly my hypnotised friends.

* * *

**I am so, so sorry for not uploading yesterday when I said I would, but I was really busy. I'll try to upload again tomorrow. I only got, like 5 reviews for the last chapter. Where are all you other readers? :(**

**Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed the chapter =D**


	33. Chapter 33

**Wow.. Suddenly got like 20 reviews overnight there.. lol.. Thanks (yet again, I know I'm annoying) and here's the next chapter. Told you I'd update soon ;) **

**Btw, Stark's part goes back to just after Kalona takes Zoey away.**

**

* * *

**

_**Stark**_

Stark wasn't as angry as he should have been when Kalona had taken Zoey. If he was being honest with himself, it was because he was actually getting used to it. He shuddered, quickly banishing that thought from his head.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked worriedly.

Stark nodded. "What about you?" he asked, turning to Stevie Rae. "How are you?"

Her face turned cold. "He was good."

"I know. I'm sorry."

She just glared at him. "You can't be trusted, Stark. I knew that from the beginnin'."

He hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry, Stevie Rae."

"Oh, really? I suppose you're claimin' to be 'sorry' for shootin' me, too, huh?"

Stark's head snapped up. "I was different," he hissed, "and I _am_ sorry for that, too."

Stevie Rae snorted and stormed off after saying, "You know, Stark, this whole thing is your fault. Everything is your fault."

"Wow," Damien murmured. "That wasn't like her at all."

"She must have really liked the bird," Shaunee said.

"And man, Twin, and man." Erin added.

"Don't worry, Stark," Damien said. "She's just mad."

"But she's right. It's all my fault."

"No, Stark, it's - "

"YES IT IS!" He was shouting in Damien's face now. "Don't you _get_it?! If I hadn't hit Stevie Rae, if I hadn't made Earth bleed, none of this would have even happened! Everyone would be safe! We would be back at the House of Night and Heath would be alive and Zoey wouldn't have A-ya in her and - and -" he broke off, running away. They tried to call out after him, but he ran. Just ran. And no one tried to follow him, not even Darius who would have been able to catch up with him easily. They knew he both wanted and needed to be alone.

He sat under a tree and cried. There was nothing more to it. He just sat and sobbed for everyone he had let down. He was angry at Nyx, too. If she hadn't Marked him, how many people would be happier? Everyone. A few could still be alive, and the ones he hadn't yet killed would soon be dead. There was nothing Zoey could do to stop it anymore.

"Is something the matter, James?" Kalona said.

Stark looked up to see him standing there, smiling a winning smile.

"Where's Zoey?"

"A-ya is not here. I need to speak with you."

"Leave me alone."

"No. You will follow me back to your friends. You will tell a few of them to come to me, and the others to stay as far away as they can."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you are under my Power now. Stand."

Stark glared at Kalona, hatred burning in every part of him. But as he met Kalona's eyes, he found himself falling into the the deep, unfathomable blackness. He tried to stop but couldn't. Then he stood.

"Follow me," Kalona said, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Yes." Stark said, and followed.

* * *

**_Aphrodite_**

"Do you think he's okay?" Darius asked.

Aphrodite sighed loudly. "Well, I don't think he'll commit suicide if that's what you're worried about. Can't you just give him some space?"

The Twins laughed at her. She spun around to glare at them. "What?"

"Didn't know you were so, umm.." Erin started.

"Unselfish?" Shaunee supplied.

"Yeah, unselfish," Erin agreed happily.

"I'm _not_. I'm just sick of him getting all the attention, that's all."

"Yeah, _that_'_s _it, alright, Twin."

"Totally."

Even Darius was smiling. "Shut up," Aphrodite growled at him, and he did his best to hide it.

"Shut up, guys. Two of our friends are really upset and all you can do is laugh at Aphrodite." Damien frowned.

"What? She's very laughable," Erin muttered.

"I'm with you, Twin," Shaunee said.

"Hello, children!" It was unmistakeably Kalona's voice.

Darius was prepared and swung Aphrodite behind him. "Get out of here," he said in a voice Aphrodite had never heard before. It terrified her.

"Be nice and accept me. Your friend has." Kalona gestured behind him and Stark stepped out.

Everyone gasped. "What? Stark? But ... " Jack trailed off, clearly upset.

"Join us," Stark said in a monotone.

"What have you done to him?" Darius snarled.

"Me?" Kalona feigned looking shocked. When no one replied he said bitterly, "Come on now, children, I don't want to have to force you."

Kalona walked up and tapped Darius. "You," he murmured before tapping Shaunee and Damien too. Then he frowned. "Where is the Red One?"

Again, no one answered him. He sighed. "Oh, well. I'll find her later." Then he turned and just ... stood there. But something happened that Aphrodite did not know of. And suddenly, when Kalona clicked his fingers and said, "Come," as if he was talking to an animal, Darius, Shaunee and Damien went to him.

"No!" Aphrodite said, distraught, reaching for Darius at the same time Jack reached for Damien and Erin for Shaunee. Their expressions mirrored hers, she was sure.

Kalona smiled at them and left with Darius, Shaunee, Damien and Stark on his heels.

* * *

**_Zoey_**

I would have liked nothing better than to stay in that room forever, but I knew I had to open the door if I wanted to do something about Kalona. It didn't matter that I would probably fail. As long as I tried. It was all I could do.

So I took a deep breath and opened the door. Kalona stood there with Stark, Darius, Damien and Shaunee behind him. They were smiling too, and they all looked so evil I almost dropped to my knees. It seriously creeped me out ... Except for Stark. I shuddered as I realized he didn't scare me because I was, well, used to seeing him like this. Because it wasn't the first time I had seen him smile at me like that.

"A-ya, what were you doing in there?" Kalona asked, his eyes narrowing until they were just two little black slits.

"Give me back my friends!" I screamed, giving him a push that was so unexpected that he stumbled back.

I faced my friends who were all staring at me with the same black expression. "Guys," I begged. "Come on! Please!"

I grabbed Stark's arm but he pulled back like I was something disgusting.

"Darius," I tried, reaching to him. He stepped back, wary.

"Damien, please, you have to listen to me, I -"

"A-ya, my love, they are on our side now. It is a good thing, you know." Kalona said. He was standing behind me and was so close I could feel his breath on my neck. I shuddered, but he obviously misinterpreted it as he said, "We shall have quality time later, my sweetheart, when we have the world to ourselves."

A-ya was beginning to rise. When I was scared, it seemed, my body was more vulnerable and she could take control more easily. I felt like crying, but I couldn't. I had to try to save the world. And trying could be all I was capable of.

"Come," Kalona whispered, and A-ya followed him, as did my hypnotised friends.

* * *

We walked to the clearing. Why did so many things happen here? My non-hypnotised friends weren't there. Hopefully they had some sort of plan. But without Darius and Damien, I didn't have much hope for them. Unless Stevie Rae was with them, or Neferet, Aphrodite and Erin would more than likely be fighting and Jack would probably be really upset so they wouldn't get much planning done.

"Now," Kalona said, turning to Shaunee. "I want you to tell fire to come to me and do what I say."

"Fire, go to Kalona," Shaunee said.

Kalona waited, his wings spread out. Nothing happened. I rejoiced. Nyx wouldn't let Kalona use her affinity!

"Oh, well, that's annoying. However, life goes on. Please tell fire to burn, hmm ... Duantia, the leader of the Vampyre Council." Kalona was saying.

"Fire," Shaunee repeated, "Burn Duantia."

I watched in horror as the aura around her obediently spun around to the direction of the Vampyre Council meeting place. No. No, this couldn't be happening. I didn't even know what I was going to do with the rivers yet - hell, I didn't even know if the rivers thing would even work!

A few seconds later there were piercing, blood-curdling screams that echoed from that direction. Oh, no. No, no, no... What was I going to do?

Kalona smiled. "That was just a test. It worked. Now, tell fire to burn Neferet."

But before she could, Neferet jumped out from behind a tree, closely followed by Jack, Erin, Aphrodite and Stevie Rae.

Erin ran to Shaunee. "Please, Shaunee, stop it, please." But it was no use.

"Fire, burn Neferet."

And it did. I cried out - wait, _I_ cried out? So .. What had happened to A-ya? Why had she suddenly let me take over?

There was no time to think about it. "Erin!" I yelled.

She looked at me. "Call water!" I shouted to her.

"Water, come to me," I heard her say. I repeated it.

"Erin, help me to ask the rivers to quench the fire."

"Shaunee, tell fire to burn everyone against me." Kalona said quickly.

I met his eyes. So it was going to be a game for him - who would get there first? Fire spread quickly.

Shaunee obeyed him at the same time Erin and I told the river by the clearing, where I reportedly blasted Kalona into, to rise and put out the fire. It wasn't easy. We both had to hold hands and focus on the water. Our willpower made it work.

Kalona was getting angry - obviously we were putting out the fire of everyone he had told Shaunee to burn. Quickly, I glanced at Neferet. She was hurt pretty badly.

"Shaunee. Make Stark burn." Kalona said, never taking his eyes off me. He knew what he was doing. He wanted me to lose concentration. I held his gaze until I heard Stark roar in agony. I spun around letting go of Erin's hand. "Stark?" I ran to him.

He was burning. Just ... burning. And suddenly the screams of thousands echoed around us. We had stopped concentrating - everyone was burning. Even Erin, Jack, Aphrodite, Stevie Rae and Neferet (again). I looked at my own arm. It was perfectly fine. Why was that? Was it because of A-ya inside me, not against Kalona?

"Erin," I called. She didn't hear me; she was screaming and writhing on the ground in pain. I turned to Kalona as everyone around me burned. I was surprisingly calm. "Why?" I whispered.

He smiled, and everything around me shimmered. We were in my grandma's lavender field. Everyone continued to burn around us. Then I saw something that would stay with me for the rest of my life: my grandma standing a few feet away from me. Burning more quickly than the others, for some reason.

"Stupid old Ghigua woman," Kalona muttered.

I ignored him and called all the elements to me. "Wind, Water, Earth, Fire and Spirit. Come to me and give me the strength to defeat A-ya." As the elements whirled around me, I felt the last traces of A-ya leave my body. I think she went quickly because she was willing ... But what had made her change so fast?

I turned to Kalona, smiling just as evilly as he had. "A-ya is gone forever," I said. All I saw was the shock on his face before he disappeared and everyone stopped burning. "Spirit," I said quickly, "Go to everyone who has been injured and help them." It left me and I looked around at my friends. They all seemed okay. Stark, Darius, Shaunee and Damien were no longer in a trance.

I looked at my grandma, and saw her smiling at me. "Well done, Zoey," she whispered.

My stomach flipped and I had to throw up. Stark put his arm around me and murmured that it was because of all the event. But I knew there was something wrong. I had been feeling it for the last week or two. And there was, undeniably, a small bump in my stomach. Suddenly I was crying. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't. I'd only done it once ... So if I really was ... pregnant ... It was his.

My life seriously sucks.

* * *

**I think I'll leave it here .. Obviously, I'm gonna write a sequel though. AND I just want to say that I am NOT copying any of the other pregnancy stories, me and my friends thought of this after Hunted so I've been planning it for ages. And at the end of Tempted, a few of my friends suggested that maybe Zoey losing her Marks was a reaction to the pregnancy .. That's not what I'm gonna do, though, Zoey still has to get her Marks back a different way. Keep an eye out for Stolen, the sequel - again, not copying the title, if you check Chapter 4 you'll see that I posted the names there so again, proving how unoriginal I am, I'm copying the Casts. Ah, well. What can ya do?**

**I wasn't planning on leaving it here, but I will :)**

**Oh and this is the longest chapter :) Yay =)**


	34. AN

**Yup, the sequel is up ... It's called Stolen. And yes, I know that the next book will be called Awakened, not Stolen (P.C Cast said that before Burned was out) but I'm sticking with the fake names I found because frankly I can't think of anything better xP**

**The sequel's on my page =] **

**~ TOB**

**x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x**


End file.
